1 Esdras
6:1 Now in the second year of the reign of Darius Aggeus and Zacharias the
son of Addo, the prophets, prophesied unto the Jews in Jewry and
Jerusalem in the name of the Lord God of Israel, which was upon them.
6:2 Then stood up Zorobabel the son of Salatiel, and Jesus the son of
Josedec, and began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the
prophets of the Lord being with them, and helping them.
6:3 At the same time came unto them Sisinnes the governor of Syria and
Phenice, with Sathrabuzanes and his companions, and said unto them,
6:4 By whose appointment do ye build this house and this roof, and perform
all the other things? and who are the workmen that perform these things?
6:5 Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favour, because the Lord
had visited the captivity;
6:6 And they were not hindered from building, until such time as
signification was given unto Darius concerning them, and an answer
received.
6:7 The copy of the letters which Sisinnes, governor of Syria and Phenice,
and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, rulers in Syria and Phenice,
wrote and sent unto Darius; To king Darius, greeting:
6:8 Let all things be known unto our lord the king, that being come into the
country of Judea, and entered into the city of Jerusalem we found in the
city of Jerusalem the ancients of the Jews that were of the captivity
6:9 Building an house unto the Lord, great and new, of hewn and costly
stones, and the timber already laid upon the walls.
6:10 And those works are done with great speed, and the work goeth on
prosperously in their hands, and with all glory and diligence is it
made.
6:11 Then asked we these elders, saying, By whose commandment build ye this
house, and lay the foundations of these works?
6:12 Therefore to the intent that we might give knowledge unto thee by
writing, we demanded of them who were the chief doers, and we required
of them the names in writing of their principal men.
6:13 So they gave us this answer, We are the servants of the Lord which made
heaven and earth.
6:14 And as for this house, it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel
great and strong, and was finished.
6:15 But when our fathers provoked God unto wrath, and sinned against the
Lord of Israel which is in heaven, he gave them over into the power of
Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, of the Chaldees;
6:16 Who pulled down the house, and burned it, and carried away the people
captives unto Babylon.
6:17 But in the first year that king Cyrus reigned over the country of
Babylon Cyrus the king wrote to build up this house.
6:18 And the holy vessels of gold and of silver, that Nabuchodonosor had
carried away out of the house at Jerusalem, and had set them in his own
temple those Cyrus the king brought forth again out of the temple at
Babylon, and they were delivered to Zorobabel and to Sanabassarus the
ruler,
6:19 With commandment that he should carry away the same vessels, and put
them in the temple at Jerusalem; and that the temple of the Lord should
be built in his place.
6:20 Then the same Sanabassarus, being come hither, laid the foundations of
the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and from that time to this being
still a building, it is not yet fully ended.
6:21 Now therefore, if it seem good unto the king, let search be made among
the records of king Cyrus:
6:22 And if it be found that the building of the house of the Lord at
Jerusalem hath been done with the consent of king Cyrus, and if our lord
the king be so minded, let him signify unto us thereof.
6:23 Then commanded king Darius to seek among the records at Babylon: and so
at Ecbatane the palace, which is in the country of Media, there was
found a roll wherein these things were recorded.
6:24 In the first year of the reign of Cyrus king Cyrus commanded that the
house of the Lord at Jerusalem should be built again, where they do
sacrifice with continual fire:
6:25 Whose height shall be sixty cubits and the breadth sixty cubits, with
three rows of hewn stones, and one row of new wood of that country; and
the expences thereof to be given out of the house of king Cyrus:
6:26 And that the holy vessels of the house of the Lord, both of gold and
silver, that Nabuchodonosor took out of the house at Jerusalem, and
brought to Babylon, should be restored to the house at Jerusalem, and be
set in the place where they were before.
6:27 And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice,
and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed
rulers in Syria and Phenice, should be careful not to meddle with the
place, but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of
Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build the house of the Lord in
that place.
6:28 I have commanded also to have it built up whole again; and that they
look diligently to help those that be of the captivity of the Jews, till
the house of the Lord be finished:
6:29 And out of the tribute of Celosyria and Phenice a portion carefully to
be given these men for the sacrifices of the Lord, that is, to Zorobabel
the governor, for bullocks, and rams, and lambs;
6:30 And also corn, salt, wine, and oil, and that continually every year
without further question, according as the priests that be in Jerusalem
shall signify to be daily spent:
6:31 That offerings may be made to the most high God for the king and for his
children, and that they may pray for their lives.
6:32 And he commanded that whosoever should transgress, yea, or make light of
any thing afore spoken or written, out of his own house should a tree be
taken, and he thereon be hanged, and all his goods seized for the king.
6:33 The Lord therefore, whose name is there called upon, utterly destroy
every king and nation, that stretcheth out his hand to hinder or
endamage that house of the Lord in Jerusalem.
6:34 I Darius the king have ordained that according unto these things it be
done with diligence.
