God

and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.'

And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, `Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.'

then ceased the service of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and it ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And prophesied have the prophets, (Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo) unto the Jews who are in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel--unto them.

Then have Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, risen, and begun to build the house of God, that is in Jerusalem, and with them are the prophets of God supporting them.

And the eye of their God hath been upon the elders of the Jews, and they have not caused them to cease till the matter goeth to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

`To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built with rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

`And thus they have returned us word, saying, We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

but after that our fathers made the God of heaven angry, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon;

but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God,

and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that is in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them hath Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to one , Sheshbazzar is his name, whom he made governor,

and said to him, These vessels lift up, go, put them down in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and the house of God is builded on its place.

Then hath this Sheshbazzar come--he hath laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from thence even till now it hath been building, and is not finished.

`And now, if to the king it be good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that is there in Babylon, whether it be that of Cyrus the king there was made a decree to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he doth send unto us.'

`In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king hath made a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: the house let be builded in the place where they are sacrificing sacrifices, and its foundations strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits;

`And also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple that is in Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, let be given back, and go to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place, and put them down in the house of God.

let alone the work of this house of God, let the governor of the Jews, and the elders of the Jews, build this house of God on its place.

`And by me is made a decree concerning that which ye do with the elders of these Jews to build this house of God, that of the riches of the king, that are of the tribute beyond the river, speedily let the outlay be given to these men, that they cease not;

and what they are needing--both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil according to the saying of the priests who are in Jerusalem--let be given to them day by day without fail,

that they be bringing near sweet savours to the God of heaven, and praying for the life of the king, and of his sons.

And God, who caused His name to dwell there, doth cast down any king and people that putteth forth his hand to change, to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem; I Darius have made a decree; speedily let it be done.'

and the elders of the Jews are building and prospering through the prophecy of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, and they have built and finished by the decree of the God of Israel, and by the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

And the sons of Israel have made, and the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, a dedication of this house of God with joy,

and have brought near for the dedication of this house of God, bullocks a hundred, rams two hundred, lambs four hundred; and young he-goats for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve, according to the number of the tribes of Israel;

and they have established the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, over the service of God that is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.