1Esdras:2

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* In the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians , that the word of the Lord might be accomplished , that he had promised by the mouth of Jeremy ; * The Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians , and he made proclamation through all his kingdom , and also by writing , * Saying , Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians ; The Lord of Israel , the most high Lord , hath made me king of the whole world , * And commanded me to build him an house at Jerusalem in Jewry . * If therefore there be any of you that are of his people , let the Lord , even his Lord , be with him , and let him go up to Jerusalem that is in Judea , and build the house of the Lord of Israel : for he is the Lord that dwelleth in Jerusalem . * Whosoever then dwell in the places about , let them help him , those , I say , that are his neighbours , with gold , and with silver , * With gifts , with horses , and with cattle , and other things , which have been set forth by vow , for the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem . * Then the chief of the families of Judea and of the tribe of Benjamin stood up ; the priests also , and the Levites , and all they whose mind the Lord had moved to go up , and to build an house for the Lord at Jerusalem , * And they that dwelt round about them , and helped them in all things with silver and gold , with horses and cattle , and with very many free gifts of a great number whose minds were stirred up thereto . * King Cyrus also brought forth the holy vessels , which Nabuchodonosor had carried away from Jerusalem , and had set up in his temple of idols . * Now when Cyrus king of the Persians had brought them forth , he delivered them to Mithridates his treasurer : * And by him they were delivered to Sanabassar the governor of Judea . * And this was the number of them ; A thousand golden cups , and a thousand of silver , censers of silver twenty nine , vials of gold thirty , and of silver two thousand four hundred and ten , and a thousand other vessels . * So all the vessels of gold and of silver , which were carried away , were five thousand four hundred threescore and nine . * These were brought back by Sanabassar , together with them of the captivity , from Babylon to Jerusalem . * But in the time of Artexerxes king of the Persians Belemus , and Mithridates , and Tabellius , and Rathumus , and Beeltethmus , and Semellius the secretary , with others that were in commission with them , dwelling in Samaria and other places , wrote unto him against them that dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem these letters following ; * To king Artexerxes our lord , Thy servants , Rathumus the storywriter , and Semellius the scribe , and the rest of their council , and the judges that are in Celosyria and Phenice . * Be it now known to the lord king , that the Jews that are up from you to us , being come into Jerusalem , that rebellious and wicked city , do build the marketplaces , and repair the walls of it and do lay the foundation of the temple . * Now if this city and the walls thereof be made up again , they will not only refuse to give tribute , but also rebel against kings . * And forasmuch as the things pertaining to the temple are now in hand , we think it meet not to neglect such a matter , * But to speak unto our lord the king , to the intent that , if it be thy pleasure it may be sought out in the books of thy fathers : * And thou shalt find in the chronicles what is written concerning these things , and shalt understand that that city was rebellious , troubling both kings and cities : * And that the Jews were rebellious , and raised always wars therein ; for the which cause even this city was made desolate . * Wherefore now we do declare unto thee , O lord the king , that if this city be built again , and the walls thereof set up anew , thou shalt from henceforth have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice . * Then the king wrote back again to Rathumus the storywriter , to Beeltethmus , to Semellius the scribe , and to the rest that were in commission , and dwellers in Samaria and Syria and Phenice , after this manner ; * I have read the epistle which ye have sent unto me : therefore I commanded to make diligent search , and it hath been found that that city was from the beginning practising against kings ; * And the men therein were given to rebellion and war : and that mighty kings and fierce were in Jerusalem , who reigned and exacted tributes in Celosyria and Phenice . * Now therefore I have commanded to hinder those men from building the city , and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it ; * And that those wicked workers proceed no further to the annoyance of kings , * Then king Artexerxes his letters being read , Rathumus , and Semellius the scribe , and the rest that were in commission with them , removing in haste toward Jerusalem with a troop of horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array , began to hinder the builders ; and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians .

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