1 Esdras 6

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Darius, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, who was over them. [a] 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and the prophets of the Lord were with them, helping them.

3 At that same time Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia came to them, with Sathrabouzanes and their associates, and they said to them, 4 “By whose appointment are you building this house and this roof, and carrying out all the rest? And who are the builders that are carrying this out?” 5 And the elders of the Jews found favor, because the Lord had looked upon the captivity; [b] 6 and they were not kept from building until word about them should be carried up to Darius and an answer given.

7 A copy of the letter which Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabouzanes, and their associates, the rulers in Syria and Phoenicia, wrote and sent to Darius: [c] 8 “To King Darius, greeting. Let everything be known to our lord the king: that when we came into the country of Judah and entered the city of Jerusalem, we found in the city of Jerusalem the elders of the Jews, of the captivity, building a house for the Lord, great and new, of hewn and costly stone, with timber laid in the walls. [d] 9 And that work is being done with speed, and the work goes forward well in their hands, and it is being finished with all glory and care. [e]

10 Then we asked these elders, saying, ‘By whose order are you building this house and laying the foundations of these works?’ 11 So we questioned them, in order to make it known to you and to write to you the men who are directing the work; and we asked them for a written list of the names of their leading men. 12 And they answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the Lord who created the heaven and the earth. [f]

13 And this house was built many years ago by a king of Israel, a great and strong king, and it was finished. 14 But when our fathers provoked him to anger and sinned against the Lord of Israel who is in heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of the Chaldeans; 15 and they pulled the house down and burned it, and carried the people away captive to Babylon. 16 But in the first year that Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylon, Cyrus the king wrote that this house should be built;

17 and the holy vessels, the gold and the silver, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried out of the house in Jerusalem and set up in his own temple — those Cyrus the king brought out again from the temple in Babylon, and they were handed over to Zerubbabel and to Sheshbazzar the governor; [g] 18 and he was ordered to carry away all these vessels and put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and that this temple of the Lord should be built on its place. 19 Then that Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; and from that time until now it has been building, and it has not reached completion.’

20 Now therefore, O king, if it seems good, let a search be made in the royal record rooms of our lord the king in Babylon; 21 and if it is found that the building of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was done with the order of Cyrus the king, and it seems good to our lord the king, let him send us word about these things.”

22 Then King Darius gave orders that a search be made in the royal record rooms that are kept in Babylon. And at Ecbatana, the fortified palace in the country of Media, one scroll was found, in which this was recorded: [h] 23 In the first year of the reign of Cyrus: King Cyrus gave orders that the house of the Lord in Jerusalem be built, where they sacrifice with fire kept always burning; 24 its height ninety feet and its width ninety feet, with three courses of hewn stone and one course of new timber from that country; and the cost to be paid out of the house of Cyrus the king; [i] 25 and the holy vessels of the house of the Lord, both the gold and the silver, which Nebuchadnezzar carried out of the house in Jerusalem and carried away to Babylon, to be restored to the house in Jerusalem, to the place where they had been set, so that they may be put there.

26 And he gave orders that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabouzanes, and their associates, and the rulers appointed in Syria and Phoenicia, should keep away from that place, and should let Zerubbabel the servant of the Lord, the governor of Judah, and the elders of the Jews build that house of the Lord on its place. [j] 27 “And I also have given orders that it be built up whole, and that they see to it that they work together with those from the captivity of Judah until the house of the Lord is finished;

28 and that out of the tribute of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia a payment be given carefully to these men for sacrifices to the Lord — to Zerubbabel the governor — for bulls and rams and lambs, [k] 29 and likewise wheat and salt and wine and oil, without fail year by year, as much as the priests in Jerusalem say is used day by day, and without dispute, 30 so that drink offerings may be brought to the Most High God for the king and for his children, and that they may pray for their lives.”

31 And he gave orders that if anyone breaks any of what has been said above and written down, or sets it aside, a beam is to be taken out of his own property, and he is to be hanged on it, and his goods are to be the king’s. [l] 32 “And for this cause may the Lord also, whose name is called upon there, blot out every king and nation that stretches out his hand to hinder or to harm that house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 33 I, King Darius, have given my decision: let these things be done carefully.”