1st Book of Àzrah — 6

Work on the Temple Begins Again

1 Now in the second year of the reign of Darius, the Nabym Haggai and Zacharyahu the son of Iddu prophesied to the Yahudym who were in Yahudah and Yahushalam; they prophesied to them in the Name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL. 

2 Then Zarubbabal the son of Shaaltial and Yashua the son of Yuzadak arose and began to build the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam, with the help of the Nabyms of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who were with them.

3 At the same time Sisinnas the governor of Syria and Phuanicia and Sathrabuzanas and their associates came to them and said, 

4 “By whose order are you building this house and this roof and finishing all the other things? And who are the builders that are finishing these things?” 

5 Yet the elders of the Yahudym were dealt with kindly, for the providence of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH was over the captives; 

6 and they were not prevented from building until word could be sent to Darius concerning them and a report made.

7 A copy of the letter which Sisinnas the governor of Syria and Phuanicia, and Sathrabuzanas, and their associates the local rulers in Syria and Phuanicia, wrote and sent to Darius:

8 “To King Darius, greeting. Let it be fully known to our master the king that, when we went to the country of Yahudah and entered the city of Yahushalam, we found the elders of the Yahudym, who had been in captivity, 

9 building in the city of Yahushalam a great new house for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, of hewn stone, with costly timber laid in the walls. 

10 These operations are going on rapidly, and the work is prospering in their hands and being completed with all splendor and care. 

11 Then we asked these elders, ‘At whose command are you building this house and laying the foundations of this structure?’ 

12 And in order that we might inform you in writing who the leaders are, we questioned them and asked them for a list of the names of those who are at their head. 

13 They answered us, ‘We are the servants of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH who created the Shamaym and the Arath. 

14 And the house was built many years ago by a king of Yashar'AL who was great and strong, and it was finished. 

15 But when our fathers sinned against the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL who is in Shamaym, and provoked 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, He gave them over into the hands of Nabuchadnazzar king of Babylun, king of the Chaldaans; 

16 and they pulled down the house, and burned it, and carried the people away captive to Babylun. 

17 But in the first year that Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylunia, King Cyrus wrote that this house should be rebuilt. 

18 And the qadash vessels of gold and of silver, which Nabuchadnazzar had taken out of the house in Yahushalam and stored in his own temple, these Cyrus the king took out again from the temple in Babylun, and they were delivered to Zarubbabal and Shashbazzar the governor 

19 with the command that he should take all these vessels back and put them in the temple at Yahushalam, and that this temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH should be rebuilt on its site. 

20 Then this Shashbazzar, after coming here, laid the foundations of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam, and although it has been in process of construction from that time until now, it has not yet reached completion.’ 

21 Now therefore, if it seems wise, O king, let search be made in the royal archives of our master the king that are in Babylun; 

22 and if it is found that the building of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in Yahushalam was done with the consent of King Cyrus, and if it is approved by our master the king, let him send us directions concerning these things.”

Official Permission Granted

23 Then Darius commanded that search be made in the royal archives that were deposited in Babylun. And in Acbatana, the fortress which is in the country of Madia, a scroll was found in which this was recorded:

24 “In the first year of the reign of Cyrus, King Cyrus ordered the building of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in Yahushalam, where they sacrifice with perpetual fire; 

25 its height to be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, with three courses of hewn stone and one course of new native timber; the cost to be paid from the treasury of Cyrus the king; 

26 and that the Qadash vessels of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, both of gold and of silver, which Nabuchadnazzar took out of the house in Yahushalam and carried away to Babylun, should be restored to the house in Yahushalam, to be placed where they had been.”

27 So Darius commanded Sisinnas the governor of Syria and Phuanicia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their associates, and those who were appointed as local rulers in Syria and Phuanicia, to keep away from the place, and to permit Zarubbabal, the servant of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and governor of Yahudah, and the elders of the Yahudym to build this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH on its site. 

28 “And I command that it be built completely, and that full effort be made to help the men who have returned from the captivity of Yahudah, until the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is finished; 

29 and that out of the tribute of Cualasyria and Phuanicia a portion be scrupulously given to these men, that is, to Zarubbabal the governor, for sacrifices to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, for bulls and rams and lambs, 

30 and likewise wheat and salt and wine and oil, regularly every year, without quibbling, for daily use as the Kuhanym in Yahushalam may indicate, 

31 in order that libations may be made to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH for the king and his children, and prayers be offered for their life.”

32 And he commanded that if any should transgress or nullify any of the things herein written, a beam should be taken out of his house and he should be hanged upon it, and his property should be forfeited to the king.

33 “Therefore may 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, whose Name the Yahudym called upon, destroy every king and nation that shall stretch out their hands to hinder or damage that house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in Yahushalam.

34 “I, King Darius, have decreed that it be done with all diligence as here prescribed.”