Ezra, starting at chapter 4
{4:1} Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the
children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of
Israel; {4:2} then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of
fathers' [houses], and said to them, Let us build with you; for we
seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of
Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here. {4:3} But
Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' [houses]
of Israel, said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a
house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the
God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.
{4:4} Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of
Judah, and troubled them in building, {4:5} and hired counselors
against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king
of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. {4:6} In the
reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. {4:7} In
the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest
of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of
the letter was written in the Syrian [character], and set forth in the
Syrian [language]. {4:8} Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe
wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
{4:9} then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and
the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites,
the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the
Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, {4:10} and the rest of the
nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the
city of Samaria, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the River,
and so forth. {4:11} This is the copy of the letter that they sent to
Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so
forth. {4:12} Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from
you are come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and
the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the
foundations. {4:13} Be it known now to the king that if this city is
built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or
toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. {4:14} Now
because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for
us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the
king; {4:15} that search may be made in the book of the records of
your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know
that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and
provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old
time; for which cause was this city laid waste. {4:16} We inform the
king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this
means you shall have no portion beyond the River. {4:17} [Then] sent
the king an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the
scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and
in the rest [of the country] beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.
{4:18} The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before
me. {4:19} I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that
this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that
rebellion and sedition have been made therein. {4:20} There have been
mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the
country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to
them. {4:21} Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that
this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me. {4:22}
Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the
hurt of the kings? {4:23} Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their
companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them
to cease by force and power. {4:24} Then ceased the work of the house
of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of
the reign of Darius king of Persia.
{5:1} Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son
of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem; in
the name of the God of Israel [prophesied they] to them. {5:2} Then
rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem;
and with them were the prophets of God, helping them. {5:3} At the
same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and
Shetharbozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave
you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? {5:4} Then
we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were who
were making this building. {5:5} But the eye of their God was on the
elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, until the matter
should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter
concerning it. {5:6} The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the
governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the
Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king;
{5:7} they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus: To Darius
the king, all peace. {5:8} Be it known to the king, that we went into
the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built
with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes
on with diligence and prospers in their hands. {5:9} Then asked we
those elders, and said to them thus, Who gave you a decree to build
this house, and to finish this wall? {5:10} We asked them their names
also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were
at the head of them. {5:11} Thus they returned us answer, saying, We
are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the
house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of
Israel built and finished. {5:12} But after that our fathers had
provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this
house, and carried the people away into Babylon. {5:13} But in the
first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to
build this house of God. {5:14} The gold and silver vessels also of
the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was
in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus
the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to
one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; {5:15} and
he said to him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is
in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place. {5:16}
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house
of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has
it been in building, and yet it is not completed. {5:17} Now
therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in
the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be
so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of
God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning
this matter.
{6:1} Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in
the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in
Babylon. {6:2} There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in
the province of Media, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a
record: {6:3} In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made
a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be
built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations
be strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, and its breadth sixty
cubits; {6:4} with three courses of great stones, and a course of new
timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house. {6:5}
Also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which
Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and
brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought again to the temple which
is at Jerusalem, everyone to its place; and you shall put them in the
house of God. {6:6} Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the
River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are
beyond the River, you must stay far from there. {6:7} Leave the work
of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the
elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place. {6:8}
Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the Jews
for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even
of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence
to these men, that they be not hindered. {6:9} That which they have
need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to
the God of heaven; [also] wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the
word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by
day without fail; {6:10} that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant
aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of
his sons. {6:11} Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter
this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be
lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill
for this: {6:12} and the God who has caused his name to dwell there
overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to
alter [the same], to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem.
I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence. {6:13}
Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and
their companions, because that Darius the king had sent, did
accordingly with all diligence. {6:14} The elders of the Jews built
and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and
Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to
the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of
Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. {6:15} 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. {6:16} The children of
Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of
the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.
{6:17} They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred
bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering
for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the
tribes of Israel. {6:18} They set the priests in their divisions, and
the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at
Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. {6:19} The children
of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth [day] of the
first month. {6:20} For the priests and the Levites had purified
themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the
Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers
the priests, and for themselves. {6:21} The children of Israel who had
come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated
themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to
seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate, {6:22} and kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Yahweh had made them joyful,
and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen
their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
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