1 Esdras 5:54–73

⁵⁴And they gave unto the masons and carpenters money, meat, and drink, with cheerfulness. ⁵⁵Unto them of Sidon also and Tyre they gave carrs, that they should bring ^kcedar trees from Libanus, ^lwhich should be brought by flotes to the haven of ^mJoppe, according as it was commanded them by Cyrus king of the Persians.

⁵⁶ⁿAnd in the second year and second month after his coming to the temple of God at Jerusalem began Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec, and their brethren, and the priests, and the Levites, and all they that were come unto Jerusalem out of the captivity: ⁵⁷and they laid the foundation of the house of God in the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come to Jewry and Jerusalem. ⁵⁸And they appointed the Levites from twenty years old over the works of the Lord. Then stood up Jesus, and his sons and brethren, and Cadmiel his brother, and the sons of Madiabun, with the sons of Joda the son of Eliadun, with their sons and brethren, all Levites, with one accord setters forward of the business, labouring to advance the works in the house of God. So the workmen built the temple of the Lord. ⁵⁹And the priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets; and the Levites the sons of Asaph had cymbals, ⁶⁰singing songs of thanksgiving, and praising the Lord, according as David the king of Israel had ordained. ⁶¹And they sung with loud voices songs to the praise of the Lord, because his mercy and glory is for ever in all Israel. ⁶²And all the people sounded trumpets, and shouted with a loud voice, singing songs of thanksgiving unto the Lord for the rearing up of the house of the Lord. ⁶³Also of the priests and Levites, and of the chief of their families, the ancients who had seen the former house came to the building of this with weeping and great crying. ⁶⁴But many with trumpets and joy shouted with loud voice, ⁶⁵insomuch that the trumpets might not be heard for the weeping of the people: yet the multitude sounded marvellously, so that it was heard afar off.

^66oWherefore when the enemies of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, they came to know what that noise of trumpets should mean. ⁶⁷And they perceived that they that were of the captivity did build the temple unto the Lord God of Israel. ⁶⁸So they went to Zorobabel and Jesus, and to the chief of the families, and said unto them, We will build together with you. ⁶⁹For we likewise, as you, do obey your Lord, and do sacrifice unto him from the days of Azbazareth the king of the Assyrians, who brought us hither. ⁷⁰Then Zorobabel and Jesus and the chief of the families of Israel said unto them, It is not for us and you to build together a house unto the Lord our God. ⁷¹We ourselves alone will build unto the Lord of Israel, according as Cyrus the king of the Persians hath commanded us. ⁷²But the heathen of the land lying heavy upon the inhabitants of Judea, and holding them strait, hindered their building; ⁷³and by their secret plots, and popular persuasions and commotions, they hindered the finishing of the building all the time that king Cyrus lived: so they were hindered from building for the space of two years, until the reign of Darius.

VI.