Ezra 6:15-16
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. And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights an incredible turnaround, contrasting the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid with the relatively swift completion of just over four years after the work was re-energized by the prophets. It’s a powerful reminder that God's timing, though sometimes long, ultimately leads to His purposes being fulfilled.
After Darius confirms a decree from Cyrus allowing the Temple's completion, the work, which had been stalled for years, finally resumes with renewed fervor under the encouragement of prophets Haggai and Zechariah. This verse marks the culmination of that effort, stating the exact date the second Temple was finished, just over four years after the work recommenced, and twenty years after its foundation was first laid.
Imagine working on a project for two decades, with major setbacks and periods of totalوقف. That's the story behind this temple's completion!
Ezra 6:15 gives us a specific date for the temple's finish: the third day of Adar, in Darius's sixth year. But this wasn't an overnight success.
A Project of Decades
This verse marks the end of a long, arduous journey, showing God's faithfulness to see His people's work through, even after long delays.
The very month this temple was finished held a special place in Israel's calendar. What does that tell us?
The completion of the temple occurred on the third day of the month of Adar. This was the twelfth and final month of the Jewish religious year.
The End of an Era, The Beginning of a New One
Understand the original words
Yisra'el · Hebrew Proper Noun
A descendant of Jacob, chosen by God to be His covenant people, set apart for His glory and purposes in the world. They represent the collective identity of the community of faith under the Mosaic covenant.
golah · Hebrew Noun
Those who have returned to the Promised Land from captivity in Babylon, fulfilling God's promise of restoration and bringing a remnant back to the center of worship in Jerusalem.
chanukkah · Hebrew Noun
To set apart or consecrate something (such as a temple, altar, or person) for exclusive use in the service and presence of God. It signifies the formal initiation of a sacred space or object into its holy function.
The completion of the Second Temple, precisely dated in Ezra 6:15, marks the end of a long and arduous 20-year rebuilding process, interspersed with periods of intense opposition and renewed divine encouragement. This wasn't just a building project; it was a testament to God's faithfulness amidst decades of hardship and exile.
536 BC
Return from Exile
After 70 years of Babylonian exile, Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
c. 536 BC
Temple Foundation Laid
Upon their return, the foundations for the Second Temple are laid by the returning Jewish exiles, but opposition halts further construction.
c. 520 BC
Work Resumes on Temple
Prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage the discouraged people to resume rebuilding the Temple, despite ongoing opposition.
520 BC
Darius Reaffirms Decree
The governor Tatnai investigates the Temple building, and King Darius, after finding Cyrus's original decree, reaffirms it and provides resources.
This passage gives the date for the recommencement of the Temple work, highlighting the significant period of delay between laying the foundation and its eventual completion mentioned in Ezra 6:15.
Ezra 3:10This verse marks the initial laying of the foundation for the Second Temple, providing a starting point to understand the long twenty-year span before its completion as noted in Ezra 6:15.
2 Chronicles 7:1This passage describes the dedication of Solomon's Temple, offering a parallel to the dedication of the Second Temple after its completion, though with vastly different scales of sacrifice and glory.
Malachi 3:1This prophecy foretells the coming of the 'Messenger of the covenant' to the Temple, pointing to a future glory for the Second Temple that surpassed even the first, a hope that would have resonated as the building neared completion.
Ezra 6:16This verse immediately follows Ezra 6:15 and details the dedication of the newly finished Temple, showing the celebratory culmination of the work mentioned.
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.
This verse highlights an incredible turnaround, contrasting the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid with the relatively swift completion of just over four years after the work was re-energized by the prophets. It’s a powerful reminder that God's timing, though sometimes long, ultimately leads to His purposes being fulfilled.
After Darius confirms a decree from Cyrus allowing the Temple's completion, the work, which had been stalled for years, finally resumes with renewed fervor under the encouragement of prophets Haggai and Zechariah. This verse marks the culmination of that effort, stating the exact date the second Temple was finished, just over four years after the work recommenced, and twenty years after its foundation was first laid.
After Darius confirms a decree from Cyrus allowing the Temple's completion, the work, which had been stalled for years, finally resumes with renewed fervor under the encouragement of prophets Haggai and Zechariah. This verse marks the culmination of that effort, stating the exact date the second Temple was finished, just over four years after the work recommenced, and twenty years after its foundation was first laid.
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This specific date highlights that even seemingly ordinary days are significant when they mark the accomplishment of God's purposes.
516-515 BC— this verse
Second Temple Completed
The Second Temple is finally finished on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of King Darius's reign.
515 BC
Temple Dedication and Passover
The newly completed Temple is dedicated with sacrifices, followed by the celebration of Passover, marking a significant moment of restoration.
"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. And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of…" — This verse highlights an incredible turnaround, contrasting the twenty years of delay since the foundation was laid with the relatively swift completion of just over four years after the work was re-…
