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 the LORD, the God
of Israel; {4:2} then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads
of fathers' households, 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 Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of
fathers' households 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 the LORD, 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 Syrian, 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 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, wrote. {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 have 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 the king
sent 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 they prophesied to them. {5:2} Then rose
up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Yeshua 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 in
this way, what the names of the men were who were making this
building. {5:5} But the eye of their God was on the Jewish elders, 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 we asked 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 their head. {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 Kasdian, 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 Cyrus the king took 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 the same Sheshbazzar
came, 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 a search be 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
Jewish elders build this house of God in its place. {6:8} Moreover I
make a decree what you shall do to these Jewish elders 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 Darius the king had sent a decree, did
accordingly with all diligence. {6:14} The Jewish elders 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 the LORD, the
God of Israel, ate, {6:22} and kept the feast of unleavened bread
seven days with joy: for the LORD 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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