1Esdras:6
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Now in the second year of the reign of Darius Aggeus and Zacharias the son of Addo ,
the prophets ,
prophesied unto the Jews in Jewry and Jerusalem in the name of the Lord God of Israel ,
which was upon them .
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Then stood up Zorobabel the son of Salatiel ,
and Jesus the son of Josedec ,
and began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem ,
the prophets of the Lord being with them ,
and helping them .
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At the same time came unto them Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice ,
with Sathrabuzanes and his companions ,
and said unto them ,
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By whose appointment do ye build this house and this roof ,
and perform all the other things ?
and who are the workmen that perform these things ?
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Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favour ,
because the Lord had visited the captivity ;
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And they were not hindered from building ,
until such time as signification was given unto Darius concerning them ,
and an answer received .
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The copy of the letters which Sisinnes ,
governor of Syria and Phenice ,
and Sathrabuzanes ,
with their companions ,
rulers in Syria and Phenice ,
wrote and sent unto Darius ;
To king Darius ,
greeting :
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Let all things be known unto our lord the king ,
that being come into the country of Judea ,
and entered into the city of Jerusalem we found in the city of Jerusalem the ancients of the Jews that were of the captivity
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Building an house unto the Lord ,
great and new ,
of hewn and costly stones ,
and the timber already laid upon the walls .
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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 made .
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Then asked we these elders ,
saying ,
By whose commandment build ye this house ,
and lay the foundations of these works ?
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Therefore to the intent that we might give knowledge unto thee by writing ,
we demanded of them who were the chief doers ,
and we required of them the names in writing of their principal men .
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So they gave us this answer ,
We are the servants of the Lord which made heaven and earth .
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And as for this house ,
it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong ,
and was finished .
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But when our fathers provoked God unto wrath ,
and sinned against the Lord of Israel which is in heaven ,
he gave them over into the power of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon ,
of the Chaldees ;
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Who pulled down the house ,
and burned it ,
and carried away the people captives unto Babylon .
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But in the first year that king Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon Cyrus the king wrote to build up this house .
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And the holy vessels of gold and of silver ,
that Nabuchodonosor had carried away out of the house at Jerusalem ,
and had set them in his own temple those Cyrus the king brought forth again out of the temple at Babylon ,
and they were delivered to Zorobabel and to Sanabassarus the ruler ,
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With commandment that he should carry away the same vessels ,
and put them in the temple at Jerusalem ;
and that the temple of the Lord should be built in his place .
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Then the same Sanabassarus ,
being come hither ,
laid the foundations of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem ;
and from that time to this being still a building ,
it is not yet fully ended .
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Now therefore ,
if it seem good unto the king ,
let search be made among the records of king Cyrus :
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And if it be found that the building of the house of the Lord at Jerusalem hath been done with the consent of king Cyrus ,
and if our lord the king be so minded ,
let him signify unto us thereof .
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Then commanded king Darius to seek among the records at Babylon :
and so at Ecbatane the palace ,
which is in the country of Media ,
there was found a roll wherein these things were recorded .
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In the first year of the reign of Cyrus king Cyrus commanded that the house of the Lord at Jerusalem should be built again ,
where they do sacrifice with continual fire :
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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 expences thereof to be given out of the house of king Cyrus :
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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 brought to Babylon ,
should be restored to the house at Jerusalem ,
and be set in the place where they were before .
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And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice ,
and Sathrabuzanes ,
and their companions ,
and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phenice ,
should be careful not to meddle with the place ,
but suffer Zorobabel ,
the servant of the Lord ,
and governor of Judea ,
and the elders of the Jews ,
to build the house of the Lord in that place .
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I have commanded also to have it built up whole again ;
and that they look diligently to help those that be of the captivity of the Jews ,
till the house of the Lord be finished :
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And out of the tribute of Celosyria and Phenice a portion carefully to be given these men for the sacrifices of the Lord ,
that is ,
to Zorobabel the governor ,
for bullocks ,
and rams ,
and lambs ;
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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 :
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That offerings may be made to the most high God for the king and for his children ,
and that they may pray for their lives .
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And he commanded that whosoever should transgress ,
yea ,
or make light of any thing afore spoken or written ,
out of his own house should a tree be taken ,
and he thereon be hanged ,
and all his goods seized for the king .
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The Lord therefore ,
whose name is there called upon ,
utterly destroy every king and nation ,
that stretcheth out his hand to hinder or endamage that house of the Lord in Jerusalem .
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I Darius the king have ordained that according unto these things it be done with diligence .