The Bible Says
Ezra 6:13-15 Meaning

In Then Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues carried out the decree with all diligence, just as King Darius had sent (v. 13), we see a swift and conscientious response to the royal command. Tattenai’s official role was overseeing regions west of the Euphrates River, which included Judah. Historically, this took place circa 520-515 BC, during the reign of King Darius (522-486 BC). Tattenai and Shethar-bozenai earlier questioned the Jews’ right to rebuild the temple, yet upon receiving Darius’s verdict, they faithfully executed the orders without delay.

This moment underscores how God often works through both secular authorities and obedient hearts to accomplish His purposes. Despite potential opposition, the rebuilding effort continued unhampered. Like the story of Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, these verses testify that God moves world leaders-be they Persian kings or local governors-to fulfill His will, pointing toward the ultimate scriptural truth that the Lord is sovereign over earthly kingdoms. By obeying the king’s decree, Tattenai indirectly participated in God’s plan for restoring the temple where worship and sacrifices would honor Him again.

Continuing in And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia (v. 14), Scripture highlights the powerful influence of prophecy in motivating the community. Haggai and Zechariah, ministering around 520 BC, urged the returning exiles to finish the task they had started. Their messages from God shaped the vision of the elders and steered the people to trust that the Lord would grant them success.

This verse also points out how the subsequent commands from Persian kings aligned with the original directive from Cyrus, ensuring continuity in the project. The people saw multiple earthly rulers confirm what God had already decreed. Here we witness the remarkable interweaving of divine command with the policy decisions of kings, foreshadowing how God’s work through earthly systems ultimately reflects His supreme authority. Their success came not just from political support, but from obeying the word of the Lord through His prophets.

The culmination of their efforts appears in This temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar; it was the sixth year of the reign of King Darius (v. 15). The month of Adar typically falls in late winter (February/March), and the sixth year of Darius’s reign would be around 516 BC. This date marks the fulfillment of what had been prophesied: the second temple of Jerusalem was rebuilt by the exiles who had returned from Babylon.

Completing the temple carried both religious significance and national identity, reestablishing the covenant community’s worship. The exiled people, once scattered, now celebrated a tangible reminder of God’s enduring presence-just as centuries later, believers in Christ would look to Him as the cornerstone of a spiritual temple (Ephesians 2:19-21). The physical structure stood as a testament of God’s faithfulness to restore what had been lost, renewing hope for future generations.