Ezra 6:15
and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the verse gives a specific date, notice the stark contrast between the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid and the rapid, focused four-and-a-half years of work after the prophets' encouragement. This highlights how God's timing and intervention can overcome long seasons of stalled progress.
After years of opposition and delays, the rebuilding of the Temple finally reached completion in the sixth year of King Darius's reign. This marked the end of a long journey that began with the laying of the foundation twenty years prior, but only truly gained momentum four years before this completion. The text then pivots to the joyous dedication of this completed house of worship.
Imagine pouring your heart into a massive project, only to have it stall for years. That's the story of the Second Temple, and Ezra 6:15 marks a crucial finish line.
The completion of the Second Temple wasn't a quick job. While the active rebuilding effort, spurred by prophets Haggai and Zechariah, took about four and a half years, the initial foundation was laid nearly twenty years prior under Cyrus.
A Long Wait
This verse reminds us that God's work, even when delayed by opposition and apathy, eventually comes to completion. It calls for faith and endurance, trusting that the setbacks are not the end of the story.
Why pinpoint the exact day the Temple was finished? This date held deep meaning for the returned exiles, marking not just a building's completion, but a spiritual milestone.
The month of Adar was the twelfth and final month of the Jewish religious year. Finishing the Temple on the third day of Adar meant it was completed just before the new religious year began with the month of Nisan.
A New Beginning
The completion of the Second Temple wasn't immediate after the exile's end, but rather a lengthy process spanning over two decades, punctuated by opposition and renewed encouragement.
536 BC
First return from Babylonian exile
Under the decree of Cyrus the Great, the first wave of Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem and began laying the foundation for the Second Temple.
c. 529 BC
Death of Cyrus the Great
The death of Cyrus, who had been favorable to the Jewish return, led to a period of uncertainty and reduced support for the Temple rebuilding efforts.
c. 522 BC
Accession of Darius I (Darius the Great)
Darius I came to the Persian throne amidst political turmoil, which initially stalled the rebuilding of the Temple.
August 520 BC
Work on Temple recommences
Prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the discouraged returnees, leading to the recommencement of the Temple rebuilding in the second year of Darius's reign.
March 516 BC
This passage highlights the recommencement of the temple's work, providing a crucial timeframe that, when compared to Ezra 6:15, shows the relatively rapid completion after renewed effort.
Ezra 3:10This verse marks the laying of the foundation, creating a direct contrast in time scale with the completion date given in Ezra 6:15, emphasizing the long and often interrupted history of rebuilding.
2 Chronicles 7:1This passage describes the dedication of Solomon's temple, offering a parallel to the dedication that would follow the completion of the second temple, showing a recurring pattern of divine acceptance and presence.
Malachi 3:1This prophecy speaks of the 'Lord, whom you seek,' suddenly coming to 'his temple,' a prophetic anticipation that finds its historical context in the completion and subsequent use of this second temple.
1 Kings 8:63This verse details the sacrifices offered at the dedication of Solomon's temple, providing a benchmark against which the scale of dedication sacrifices for the second temple, as alluded to in the context of Ezra 6:15, can be understood.
pulpitEzra 6:15: "And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king."
Verse 15. - The house was finished on the third day of the month Adar. Haggai (Haggai 1:15) gives the exact day of the recommencement of the work as the twenty-fourth of Elul in Darius's second year. Ezra here gives the exact day of the completion. From Zerubbabel's laying of the foundation (Ezra 3:10), the time that had elapsed was twenty-one years. From the…
clarkeEzra 6:15: "And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king."
This house was finished - The sixth year of Darius mentioned here was about A.M. 3489, twenty years after the foundation had been laid by Zerubbabel, under the reign of Cyrus.
While the verse gives a specific date, notice the stark contrast between the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid and the rapid, focused four-and-a-half years of work after the prophets' encouragement. This highlights how God's timing and intervention can overcome long seasons of stalled progress.
After years of opposition and delays, the rebuilding of the Temple finally reached completion in the sixth year of King Darius's reign. This marked the end of a long journey that began with the laying of the foundation twenty years prior, but only truly gained momentum four years before this completion. The text then pivots to the joyous dedication of this completed house of worship.
After years of opposition and delays, the rebuilding of the Temple finally reached completion in the sixth year of King Darius's reign. This marked the end of a long journey that began with the laying of the foundation twenty years prior, but only truly gained momentum four years before this completion. The text then pivots to the joyous dedication of this completed house of worship.
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This precise dating emphasizes that God's timing is perfect, bringing His plans to fruition at the appointed moment, ready for a new season of worship and faithfulness.
Second Temple construction completed
The Second Temple was finished on the third day of the month Adar in the sixth year of Darius's reign, about four and a half years after the work was resumed.
March 516 BC
Dedication of the Second Temple
Following the completion, the Temple was dedicated with sacrifices and celebrations, marking a significant moment for the returned exiles.
"and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king." — While the verse gives a specific date, notice the stark contrast between the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid and the rapid, focused four-and-a-half years of work after the prophet…
