1 Esdras 6:1–7:15

61 Now in the second year of the reign of Darius, Aggæus and Zacharias the son of Addo, the prophets, prophesied unto the Jews in Jewry and Jerusalem; in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, prophesied they unto them. 2 Then stood up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedek, and began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, the prophets of the Lord being with them, and helping them. 3 At the same time came unto them Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phœnicia, with Sathrabuzanes and his companions, and said unto them, 4 By whose appointment do ye build this house and this roof, and perform all the other things? and who are the builders that perform these things? 5 Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favour, because the Lord had visited the captivity; 6 and they were not hindered from building, until such time as communication was made unto Darius concerning them, and his answer signified.

7 The copy of the letter which Sisinnes, governor of Syria and Phœnicia, and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, the rulers in Syria and Phœnicia, wrote and sent unto Darius; 8 To king Darius, greeting: Let all things be known unto our lord the king, that being come into the country of Judæa, and entered into the city of Jerusalem, we found in the city of Jerusalem the elders of the Jews that were of the captivity building a house unto the Lord, 9 great and new, of hewn and costly stones, 10 with timber laid in the walls. 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 accomplished. 11 Then asked we these elders, saying, By whose commandment build ye this house, and lay the foundations of these works? 12 Therefore, to the intent that we might give knowledge unto thee by writing who were the chief doers, we questioned them, and we required of them the names in writing of their principal men. 13 So they gave us this answer, We are the servants of the Lord which made heaven and earth. 14 And as for this house, it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong, and was finished. 15 But when our fathers sinned against the Lord of Israel which is in heaven, and provoked him unto wrath, he gave them over into the hands of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, king of the Chaldeans; 16 and they pulled down the house, and burned it, and carried away the people captives unto Babylon. 17 But in the first year that Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon, king Cyrus wrote to build up this house. 18 And the holy vessels of gold and of silver, that Nabuchodonosor had carried away out of the house at Jerusalem, and had set up in his own temple, those Cyrus the king brought forth again out of the temple in Babylonia, and they were delivered to Zorobabel and to Sanabassarus the governor, 19 with commandment that he should carry away all these vessels, and put them in the temple at Jerusalem; and that the temple of the Lord should be built in its place. 20 Then Sanabassarus, being come hither, laid the foundations of the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; and from that time to this being still a-building, it is not yet fully ended. 21 Now therefore, if it seem good, O king, let search be made among the royal archives of our lord the king that are in Babylon: 22 and if it be found that the building of the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem hath been done with the consent of king Cyrus, and it seem good unto our lord the king, let him signify unto us thereof.

23 Then commanded king Darius to seek among the archives that were laid up at Babylon: and so at Ecbatana the palace, which is in the country of Media, there was found a roll wherein these things were recorded. 24 In the first year of the reign of Cyrus king Cyrus commanded to build up the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem, where they do sacrifice with continual fire: 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 expenses thereof to be given out of the house of king Cyrus: 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 carried away to Babylon, should be restored to the house at Jerusalem, and be set in the place where they were before. 27 And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phœnicia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phœnicia, should be careful not to meddle with the place, but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of Judæa, and the elders of the Jews, to build that house of the Lord in its place. 28 And I also do command to have it built up whole again; and that they look diligently to help those that be of the captivity of Judæa, till the house of the Lord be finished: 29 and that out of the tribute of Cœlesyria and Phœnicia a portion be carefully given these men for the sacrifices of the Lord, that is, to Zorobabel the governor, for bullocks, and rams, and lambs; 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: 31 that drink offerings may be made to the Most High God for the king and for his children, and that they may pray for their lives. 32 And that commandment be given that whosoever shall transgress, yea, or neglect anything herein written, out of his own house shall a tree be taken, and he thereon be hanged, and all his goods seized for the king. 33 The Lord therefore, whose name is there called upon, utterly destroy every king and nation, that shall stretch out his hand to hinder or endamage that house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 34 I Darius the king have ordained that according unto these things it be done with diligence.

71 Then Sisinnes the governor of Cœlesyria and Phœnicia, and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, following the commandments of king Darius, 2 did very carefully oversee the holy works, assisting the elders of the Jews and rulers of the temple. 3 And so the holy works prospered, while Aggæus and Zacharias the prophets prophesied.

4 And they finished these things by the commandment of the Lord, the God of Israel, and with the consent of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of the Persians. 5 And thus was the house finished by the three and twentieth day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of king Darius. 6 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the other that were of the captivity, that were added unto them, did according to the things written in the book of Moses. 7 And to the dedication of the temple of the Lord they offered a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; 8 and twelve he-goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the twelve princes of the tribes of Israel. 9 The priests also and the Levites stood arrayed in their vestments, according to their kindreds, for the services of the Lord, the God of Israel, according to the book of Moses: and the porters at every gate.

10 And the children of Israel that came out of the captivity held the passover the fourteenth day of the first month, when the priests and the Levites were sanctified together, 11 and all they that were of the captivity; for they were sanctified. 12 For the Levites were all sanctified together, and they offered the passover for all them of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 13 And the children of Israel that came out of the captivity did eat, even all they that had separated themselves from the abominations of the heathen of the land, and sought the Lord.

14 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, 15 making merry before the Lord, for that he had turned the counsel of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the works of the Lord, the God of Israel.