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 . * 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 . * At the same time came unto them Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phenice , with Sathrabuzanes and his companions , and said unto them , * 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 ? * Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favour , because the Lord had visited the captivity ; * And they were not hindered from building , until such time as signification was given unto Darius concerning them , and an answer received . * 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 : * 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 * Building an house unto the Lord , great and new , of hewn and costly stones , and the timber already laid upon 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 made . * Then asked we these elders , saying , By whose commandment build ye this house , and lay the foundations of these works ? * 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 . * So they gave us this answer , We are the servants of the Lord which made heaven and earth . * And as for this house , it was builded many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong , and was finished . * 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 ; * Who pulled down the house , and burned it , and carried away the people captives unto Babylon . * But in the first year that king Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon Cyrus the king wrote to build up this house . * 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 , * 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 . * 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 . * Now therefore , if it seem good unto the king , let search be made among the records of king Cyrus : * 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 . * 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 . * 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 : * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * 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 : * 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 ; * 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 : * 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 . * 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 . * 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 . * I Darius the king have ordained that according unto these things it be done with diligence .

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