VII. aThen Sisinnes the governor of bCoelosyria and Phenice, and Sathrabuzanes, with their companions, following the commandments of king Darius, 2 did very carefully oversee the holy works, assisting the cancients of the Jews and governors of the temple. 3 And so the holy works prospered, when Aggeus and Zacharias the prophets prophesied. 4 And they finished these things by the commandment of the Lord God of Israel, and with * the dconsent of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 5 * And thus was the holy house finished in * the three and twentieth day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of Darius king of the Persians. 6 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and 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 an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; 8 and twelve goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the * chief of the tribes of Israel. 9 The priests also and the Levites stood arrayed in their vestments, according to their * kindreds, in the services of ethe Lord God of Israel, according to the book of Moses: and the porters at every gate.

10 And the children of Israel * that were of the captivity held the passover the fourteenth day of the first month, after that the priests and the Levites were sanctified. 11 They that were of the captivity were not all sanctified together: but the Levites were all sanctified together. 12 And so 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 people of the land, and sought the Lord. 14 And they kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, making merry before the Lord, 15 for that he had turned the * counsel of the king of Assyria towards them, to strengthen their hands in the works of ethe Lord God of Israel.