Ezra, starting at chapter 4
{4:1} Now when the adversaries of Yehudah and Binyamin heard that
the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the
God of Yisra'el; {4:2} then they drew near to Zerubbavel, and to the
heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, Let us build with you;
for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the
days of Esar-Haddon king of Ashshur, who brought us up here. {4:3} But
Zerubbavel, and Yeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' [houses]
of Yisra'el, said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building
a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD,
the God of Yisra'el, as king Koresh the king of Paras has commanded
us. {4:4} Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people
of Yehudah, and troubled them in building, {4:5} and hired counselors
against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Koresh king
of Paras, even until the reign of Daryavesh king of Paras. {4:6} In
the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they
an accusation against the inhabitants of Yehudah and Yerushalayim.
{4:7} In the days of Artachshasta wrote Bishlam, Mitredat, Tav'el, and
the rest of his companions, to Artachshasta king of Paras; and the
writing of the letter was written in the Arammian [character], and set
forth in the Arammian [language]. {4:8} Rechum the chancellor and
Shimshai the [1>]Sofer[<1] wrote a letter against Yerushalayim to
Artachshasta the king in this sort: {4:9} then [wrote] Rechum the
chancellor, and Shimshai the [2>]Sofer[<2], and the rest of their
companions, the Dinites, and the Afarsatkhi, the Tarpelites, the
Afarsi, the Arkevi, the Bavlites, the Shushankhites, the Dehites, the
Elamites, {4:10} and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble
Asnappar brought over, and set in the city of Shomron, and in the rest
[of the country] beyond the River, and so forth. {4:11} This is the
copy of the letter that they sent to Artachshasta the king: Your
servants the men beyond the River, and so forth. {4:12} Be it known to
the king, that the Yehudim who came up from you are come to us to
Yerushalayim; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and
have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations. {4:13} Be it
known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls
finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end
it will be hurtful to the kings. {4:14} Now because we eat the salt of
the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's
dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king; {4:15} that
search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so
shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is
a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they
have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was
this city laid waste. {4:16} We inform the king that, if this city be
built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion
beyond the River. {4:17} [Then] sent the king an answer to Rechum the
chancellor, and to Shimshai the [3>]Sofer[<3], and to the rest of
their companions who dwell in Shomron, and in the rest [of the
country] beyond the River: Shalom, and so forth. {4:18} The letter
which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. {4:19} I
decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of
old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and
sedition have been made therein. {4:20} There have been mighty kings
also over Yerushalayim, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond
the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them. {4:21}
Make you now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city
not be built, until a decree shall be made by me. {4:22} Take heed
that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of
the kings? {4:23} Then when the copy of king Artachshasta' letter was
read before Rechum, and Shimshai the [4>]Sofer[<4], and their
companions, they went in haste to Yerushalayim to the Yehudim, and
made them to cease by force and power. {4:24} Then ceased the work of
the house of God which is at Yerushalayim; and it ceased until the
second year of the reign of Daryavesh king of Paras.
{5:1} Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zekharyah the son
of `Iddo, prophesied to the Yehudim who were in Yehudah and
Yerushalayim; in the name of the God of Yisra'el [prophesied they] to
them. {5:2} Then rose up Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and Yeshua
the son of Yotzadak, and began to build the house of God which is at
Yerushalayim; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.
{5:3} At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the
River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions, and said thus to
them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this
wall? {5:4} Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the
men were who were making this building. {5:5} But the eye of their God
was on the Zakenim of the Yehudim, and they did not make them cease,
until the matter should come to Daryavesh, and then answer should be
returned by letter concerning it. {5:6} The copy of the letter that
Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and his
companions the Afarsekhi, who were beyond the River, sent to Daryavesh
the king; {5:7} they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus:
To Daryavesh the king, all shalom. {5:8} Be it known to the king, that
we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great God,
which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and
this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. {5:9}
Then asked we those Zakenim, and said to them thus, Who gave you a
decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? {5:10} We asked
them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of
the men who were at the head of them. {5:11} Thus they returned us
answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and
[1>]eretz[<1], and are building the house that was built these many
years ago, which a great king of Yisra'el built and finished. {5:12}
But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he
gave them into the hand of Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel, the Kasdai,
who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Bavel.
{5:13} But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king
made a decree to build this house of God. {5:14} The gold and silver
vessels also of the house of God, which Nevukhadnetztzar took out of
the temple that was in Yerushalayim, and brought into the temple of
Bavel, those did Koresh the king take out of the temple of Bavel, and
they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbatztzer, whom he had
made governor; {5:15} and he said to him, Take these vessels, go, put
them in the temple that is in Yerushalayim, and let the house of God
be built in its place. {5:16} Then came the same Sheshbatztzer, and
laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Yerushalayim: and
since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is
not completed. {5:17} Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let
there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at
Bavel, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Koresh the king to
build this house of God at Yerushalayim; and let the king send his
pleasure to us concerning this matter.
{6:1} Then Daryavesh the king made a decree, and search was made in
the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel.
{6:2} There was found at Achmeta, in the palace that is in the
province of Madai, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a
record: {6:3} In the first year of Koresh the king, Koresh the king
made a decree: Concerning the house of God at Yerushalayim, let the
house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let the
foundations of it be strongly laid; the height of it sixty cubits, and
the breadth of it sixty cubits; {6:4} with three courses of great
stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out
of the king's house. {6:5} Also let the gold and silver vessels of the
house of God, which Nevukhadnetztzar took forth out of the temple
which is at Yerushalayim, and brought to Bavel, be restored, and
brought again to the temple which is at Yerushalayim, everyone to its
place; and you shall put them in the house of God. {6:6} Now
therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetar-Bozenai, and
your companions the Afarsekhi, who are beyond the River, be you far
from there: {6:7} let the work of this house of God alone; let the
governor of the Yehudim and the Zakenim of the Yehudim build this
house of God in its place. {6:8} Moreover I make a decree what you
shall do to these Zakenim of the Yehudim for the building of this
house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the
River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be
not hindered. {6:9} That which they have need of, both young bulls,
and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; [also]
wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the
[1>]Kohanim[<1] who are at Yerushalayim, let it be given them day by
day without fail; {6:10} that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor
to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his
sons. {6:11} Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this
word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted
up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for
this: {6:12} and the God who has caused his name to dwell there
overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to
alter [the same], to destroy this house of God which is at
Yerushalayim. I Daryavesh have made a decree; let it be done with all
diligence. {6:13} Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River,
Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions, because that Daryavesh the king
had sent, did accordingly with all diligence. {6:14} The Zakenim of
the Yehudim built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the
prophet and Zekharyah the son of `Iddo. They built and finished it,
according to the [2>]mitzvah[<2] of the God of Yisra'el, and according
to the decree of Koresh, and Daryavesh, and Artachshasta king of
Paras. {6:15} This house was finished on the third day of the month
Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Daryavesh the king.
{6:16} The children of Yisra'el, the [3>]Kohanim[<3], and the Levites,
and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of
this house of God with joy. {6:17} They offered at the dedication of
this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred
lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Yisra'el, twelve male goats,
according to the number of the tribes of Yisra'el. {6:18} They set the
[4>]Kohanim[<4] in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses,
for the service of God, which is at Yerushalayim; as it is written in
the book of Moshe. {6:19} The children of the captivity kept the
Pesach on the fourteenth [day] of the first month. {6:20} For the
[5>]Kohanim[<5] and the Levites had purified themselves together; all
of them were pure: and they killed the Pesach for all the children of
the captivity, and for their brothers the [6>]Kohanim[<6], and for
themselves. {6:21} The children of Yisra'el who had come again out of
the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from
the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek the LORD, the God
of Yisra'el, ate, {6:22} and kept the feast of [7>]matzah[<7] seven
days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the
heart of the king of Ashshur to them, to strengthen their hands in the
work of the house of God, the God of Yisra'el.
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Footnotes:
[1] {4:8} scribe
[2] {4:9} scribe
[3] {4:17} scribe
[4] {4:23} scribe
[1] {5:11} earth
[1] {6:9} priests
[2] {6:14} commandment
[3] {6:16} priests
[4] {6:18} priests
[5] {6:20} priests
[6] {6:20} priests
[7] {6:22} unleavened bread
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