Ezra 4:8–6:18

8 *Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the ||scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: 9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their †companions; mthe Dinaites, the nApharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the nApharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the oSusanchites, the Dehavites, and the pElamites, 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble qAsnappar brought over, and set in the cities of rSamaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, sand †at such a time. 11 *This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto 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 ttoll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the ||revenue of the kings. 14 Now because †we have maintenance from the king’s palace, 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 is a 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 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their †companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river,

uPeace, and at such a time. 18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been xplainly 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 that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have yruled over all countries beyond the river; and ttoll, 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 another commandment 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 was read 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 is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

5 Then the prophets, aHaggai the prophet, and bZechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. 2 Then rose up cZerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and cJeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3 At the same time came to them dTatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, eWho hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? 4 Then said we unto them fafter this manner, What are the names of the men †that make this building? 5 But gthe 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 hreturned answer by letter concerning this matter. 6 *The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the iApharsachites, which were on 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, and said unto them thus, kWho 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 were the 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 land set up. 12 But mafter that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of nNebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. 13 *But in the first year of oCyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. 14 And pthe vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in 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 was qSheshbazzar, whom he had made ||governor; 15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. 16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and rlaid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and syet it is not finished. 17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, tlet there be search 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 *Then Darius the king made a decree, aand search was made in the house of the †rolls, where the treasures were †laid up in Babylon. 2 And there was found at b||Achmetha, in cthe palace that is in the province of the dMedes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the 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, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 4 eWith three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king’s house: 5 And also let fthe golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and †brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. 6 Now therefore, gTatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and †your companions the hApharsachites, which are beyond 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 igoods, even of the ktribute beyond the river, forthwith expences 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 are at 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 lpray 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 ma dunghill for this. 12 And the God that nhath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. 14 And othe 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 pCyrus, and qDarius, and rArtaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month sAdar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of *†the children of the captivity, kept tthe dedication of this house of God with joy, 17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and ufor a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their xdivisions, and the Levites in their ycourses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; †zas it is written in the book of Moses.