11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is
good, for his mercy endurethfor ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great
shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who wereancient men, that
had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept
with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the
weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar
off.
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity
builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build
with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them,
Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will
build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in
building,
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of
Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto himan
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their
companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter waswritten in the
Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes
the king in this sort:
9 Then wroteRehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions;
the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the
Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, andthe Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the
cities of Samaria, and the rest that areon this side the river, and at such a time.
11 This isthe copy of the letter that they sent unto him, evenunto Artaxerxes the king; Thy
servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto
Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and
joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then
will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and sothou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king'spalace, and it was not meet for us to see
the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the
book of the records, and know that this city isa rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and
provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was
this city destroyed.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this
means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
17 Thensent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and toShimshai the scribe, and to
the rest beyond the river, Peace,
and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath
made insurrection against kings, and thatrebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries
beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded,
until anothercommandment shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter wasread before Rehum, and Shimshai the
scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them
to cease by force and power.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which isat Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the
second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the
Jews that werein Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, evenunto them.
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to
build the house of God which isat Jerusalem: and with them werethe prophets of God helping
them.
3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai,
and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and
to make up this wall?
4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this
building?
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to
cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this
matter.
6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his
companions the Apharsachites, which wereon this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.
8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great
God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth
fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
9 Then asked we those elders, andsaid unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house,
and to make up these walls?
10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that
werethe chief of them.
11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and
earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel
builded and set up.
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the
hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried
the people away into Babylon.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the sameking Cyrus made a decree to build
this house of God.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out
of the temple that wasin Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did
Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name
Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that isin Jerusalem,
and let the house of God be builded in his place.
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, andlaid the foundation of the house of God which isin
Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yetit is not finished.
17 Now therefore, if it seemgood to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure
house, which isthere 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.
1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the
treasures were laid up in Babylon.
2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that isin the province of the Medes, a roll,
and therein wasa record thus written:
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the sameCyrus the king made a decree concerningthe
house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices,
and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, andthe
breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 Withthree rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out
of the king's house:
5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took
forth out of the temple which isat Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and
brought again unto the temple which isat Jerusalem, every oneto his place, and place themin
the house of God.
6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the
Apharsachites, which arebeyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7 Let 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 his place.
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this
house of God: that of the king's goods, evenof the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses
be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt
offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the
priests which areat Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the
life of the king, and of his sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down
from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill
for this.
12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall
put to their hand to alter andto destroy this house of God which isat Jerusalem. I Darius have
made a decree; let it be done with speed.
13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according
to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai
the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the
commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and
Artaxerxes king of Persia.
15 And 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.
