Thistemplewas completedon the thirddayof the monthAdar;it was the sixthyearof the reignof KingDarius.
Solomonofferedfor the sacrificeof peaceofferings,whichhe offeredto the LORD,22000oxenand 120,000sheep.So the kingand allthe sonsof Israeldedicatedthe houseof the LORD.
Thenworkon the houseof Godin Jerusalemceased,and it was stoppeduntilthe secondyearof the reignof Dariuskingof Persia.
Thenthat Sheshbazzarcame[and] laidthe foundationsof the houseof Godin Jerusalem;and from thenuntilnowit has been underconstructionand it is not [yet] completed.'
"For we are slaves;yet in our bondageour Godhas not forsakenus, but has extendedlovingkindnessto us in the sightof the kingsof Persia,to giveus revivingto raiseup the houseof our God,to restoreits ruinsand to giveus a wallin Judahand Jerusalem.
Letterswere sentby couriersto allthe king'sprovincesto destroy,to killand to annihilateallthe Jews,bothyoungand old,womenand children,in oneday,the thirteenth[day] of the twelfthmonth,whichis the monthAdar,and to seizetheir possessionsas plunder.
In the firstmonth,whichis the monthNisan,in the twelfthyearof KingAhasuerus,Pur,that is the lot,was castbeforeHamanfrom dayto dayand from month[to month], until the twelfthmonth,that is the monthAdar.
on onedayin allthe provincesof KingAhasuerus,the thirteenth[day] of the twelfthmonth(that is, the monthAdar).
Now in the twelfthmonth(that is, the monthAdar),on the thirteenthdaywhenthe king'scommandand edictwere about to be executed,on the daywhenthe enemiesof the Jewshopedto gainthe masteryoverthem, it was turnedto the contrary so that the Jewsthemselvesgainedthe masteryoverthose who hatedthem.
The Jewswhowere in Susaassembledalsoon the fourteenthdayof the monthAdarand killedthreehundredmenin Susa,but they did not laytheir handson the plunder.
[This was done] on the thirteenthdayof the monthAdar,and on the fourteenthday they restedand madeit a dayof feastingand rejoicing.
Thereforethe Jewsof the ruralareas,who livein the ruraltowns,makethe fourteenthdayof the monthAdar[a] holidayfor rejoicingand feastingand sendingportions[of food] to oneanother.
obligingthem to celebratethe fourteenthdayof the monthAdar,and the fifteenthdayof the same month, annually,
In the eighthmonthof the secondyearof Darius,the wordof the LORDcameto Zechariahthe prophet,the sonof Berechiah,the sonof Iddosaying,
Thereforethussaysthe LORD,"I will returnto Jerusalemwith compassion;My housewill be builtin it," declaresthe LORDof hosts,"and a measuringlinewill be stretchedoverJerusalem."'
"The handsof Zerubbabelhave laidthe foundationof thishouse,and his handswill finish[it]. Then you will knowthat the LORDof hostshas sentme to you.
