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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 God's house 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 God's house 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 God's house, 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 God's house be built
in its place.' {5:16} Then the same Sheshbazzar came, and laid the
foundations of God's house 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 God's house 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 God's house, 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 God's house. {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 God's house,
the God of Israel.
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