Ezra:3-4

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* And when the seventh month was come , and the children of Israel were in the cities , the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem . * Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak , and his brethren the priests , and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel , and his brethren , and builded the altar of the God of Israel , to offer burnt offerings thereon , as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God . * And they set the altar upon his bases ; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries : and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD , even burnt offerings morning and evening . * They kept also the feast of tabernacles , as it is written , and offered the daily burnt offerings by number , according to the custom , as the duty of every day required ; * And afterward offered the continual burnt offering , both of the new moons , and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated , and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD . * From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD . But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid . * They gave money also unto the masons , and to the carpenters ; and meat , and drink , and oil , unto them of Zidon , and to them of Tyre , to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa , according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia . * Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem , in the second month , began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel , and Jeshua the son of Jozadak , and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites , and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem ; and appointed the Levites , from twenty years old and upward , to set forward the work of the house of the LORD . * Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren , Kadmiel and his sons , the sons of Judah , together , to set forward the workmen in the house of God : the sons of Henadad , with their sons and their brethren the Levites . * And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD , they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets , and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals , to praise the LORD , after the ordinance of David king of Israel . * And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD ; because he is good , for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel . And all the people shouted with a great shout , when they praised the LORD , because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid . * But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers , who were ancient men , that had seen the first house , when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes , wept with a loud voice ; and many shouted aloud for joy : * So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people : for the people shouted with a loud shout , and the noise was heard afar off . * Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel ; * Then they came to Zerubbabel , and to the chief of the fathers , and said unto them , Let us build with you : for we seek your God , as ye do ; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur , which brought us up hither . * But Zerubbabel , and Jeshua , and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel , said unto them , Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God ; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel , as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us . * Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah , and troubled them in building , * And hired counsellors against them , to frustrate their purpose , all the days of Cyrus king of Persia , even until the reign of Darius king of Persia . * And in the reign of Ahasuerus , in the beginning of his reign , wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem . * And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam , Mithredath , Tabeel , and the rest of their companions , unto Artaxerxes king of Persia ; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue , and interpreted in the Syrian tongue . * Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort : * Then wrote Rehum the chancellor , and Shimshai the scribe , and the rest of their companions ; the Dinaites , the Apharsathchites , the Tarpelites , the Apharsites , the Archevites , the Babylonians , the Susanchites , the Dehavites , and the Elamites , * And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over , and set in the cities of Samaria , and the rest that are on this side the river , and at such a time . * 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 . * 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 . * Be it known now unto the king , that , if this city be builded , and the walls set up again , then will they not pay toll , tribute , and custom , and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings . * 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 ; * 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 . * 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 . * 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 , Peace , and at such a time . * The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me . * 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 . * There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem , which have ruled over all countries beyond the river ; and toll , tribute , and custom , was paid unto them . * 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 . * Take heed now that ye fail not to do this : why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings ? * 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 . * 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 . * Then the prophets , Haggai the prophet , and Zechariah 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 .

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