Lives of Scripture
Darius (M)
First named in Ezra 4:5-24
Decades after Cyrus first authorized the Jews to rebuild the Jerusalem temple, opposition from surrounding peoples had brought the work to a halt. When the governor Tattenai wrote to Darius questioning by what authority the Jews were building, Darius ordered Persia's archives searched, and Cyrus's original decree was found in the fortress at Ecbatana (Ezra 5:3-6:2). Rather than side with the objectors, Darius confirmed Cyrus's decree in full, ordered the work to proceed without interference, directed that the royal treasury cover the temple's expenses and provide for its daily sacrifices, and decreed serious punishment for anyone who defied the order (Ezra 6:3-12). During these same years, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah dated their calls to finish the temple to the second year of Darius's reign, urging the returned exiles to stop prioritizing their own houses over God's (Haggai 1:1-15; Zechariah 1:1, 7:1). The temple was finished in the sixth year of Darius's reign and dedicated with great joy, followed by a Passover celebration (Ezra 6:14-22). Scripture presents a foreign king's official decree as the very means by which God's promise to restore His people's worship was carried out.
Thought for Today
Darius could have sided with the temple's opponents, but instead he searched the records, confirmed Cyrus's decree, and paid for God's house out of his own treasury. God can work even through a foreign king's decree to accomplish His purposes; may we trust Him to work through unlikely places too.
References: Ezra 4:5-24; Ezra 5:5-7; Ezra 6:1-22; Nehemiah 12:22; Haggai 1:1-15; Haggai 2:10; Zechariah 1:1-7; Zechariah 7:1
Genealogy
Father
—Mother
—Spouse(s)
—Children
—Connections
- Darius (M) — ordered him to fund the temple rebuilding → Tattenai (M)
Tattenai reported the temple rebuilding to Darius and asked for a search of the royal archives; when Cyrus's decree was found, Darius ordered Tattenai to keep away from the work and pay its costs from the province's royal taxes, and Tattenai obeyed.
Ezra 5:6-17; Ezra 6:6-13
- Darius (M) — ordered him to fund the temple rebuilding → Shethar-bozenai (M)
Darius's decree confirming Cyrus's permission was addressed to Shethar-bozenai along with Tattenai, ordering them to keep away from the temple work and pay its costs, which they did.
Ezra 6:6-13
