Bible Verses About The Second Temple

Wherefore the people of the land discouraged the people of Iudah, and troubled them in buylding,

And they hired counsellers against them, to hinder their deuise, all the dayes of Cyrus King of Persia, euen vntill the reigne of Darius King of Persia.

And in the reigne of Ahashuerosh (in the beginning of his reigne) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem.

And in the daies of Artahshashte, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote when it was peace, vnto Artahshashte king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was the Aramites writing, and the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites.

Rehum the chancelour, and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Ierusalem to Artahshashte the King, in this sort.

Then wrote Rehum the chauncelour, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions Dinaie, and Apharsathcaie, Tarpelaie, Apharsaie, Archeuaie, Bablaie, Shushanchaie, Dehaue, Elmaie,

And the rest of the people whom the great and noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are beyonde the Riuer and Cheeneth.

This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto King Artahshashte, THY SERVANTS the men beyond the Riuer and Cheeneth, salute thee.

Be it knowen vnto the King that ye Iewes, which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem (a citie rebellious and wicked) and buylde, and lay the foundations of the walles, and haue ioyned the foundations.

Be it knowen nowe vnto the King, that if this citie be built, and the foundations of the walles layed, they will not giue tolle, tribute, nor custome: so shalt thou hinder the Kings tribute.

Nowe therefore because wee haue bene brought vp in the Kings palace, it was not meete for vs to see the Kings dishonour: for this cause haue we sent and certified the King,

That one may searche in the booke of the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou shalt finde in the booke of the Chronicles, and perceiue that this citie is rebellious and noysome vnto Kings and prouinces, and that they haue moued sedition of olde time, for the which cause this citie was destroyed.

Wee certifie the King therefore, that if this citie be buylded, and the foundation of the walles layd, by this meanes the portion beyonde the Riuer shall not be thine.

Then ceased the worke of the house of God, which was in Ierusalem, and did stay vnto the second yeere of Darius King of Persia.

Then Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel, and Ieshua the sonne of Iozadak arose, and began to builde the house of God at Ierusalem, and with them were the Prophetes of God, which helped them.

At the same time came to them Tatnai, which was captaine beyonde the Riuer, and Shether-boznai and their companions, and sayd thus vnto them, Who hath giuen you commandement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundations of these walles?

Then sayde we vnto them after this maner, What are the names of the men that buylde this buylding?

But the eye of their God was vpon the Elders of the Iewes, that they coulde not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they answered by letters thereunto.

The copie of the letter, that Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shether-boznai and his companions, Apharsechaie, (which were beyond the Riuer) sent vnto King Darius.

They sent a letter vnto him, wherein it was written thus, VNTO DARIVS the king, all peace.

Be it knowen vnto the King, that we went into the prouince of Iudea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and beames are layde in the walles, and this worke is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands.

Then asked we those Elders, and sayd vnto them thus, Who hath giuen you commandement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundation of these walles?

We asked their names also, that we might certifie thee, and that we might write the names of the men that were their rulers.

But they answered vs thus, and sayd, We are the seruants of the God of heauen and earth, and buylde the house that was buylt of olde and many yeeres ago, which a great King of Israel builded, and founded it.

But after that our fathers had prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath, he gaue them ouer into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the Caldean, and he destroyed this house, and caryed the people away captiue vnto Babel.