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Then ceased the work of the house of God which is in Jerusalem. And it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

THEN the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Jerusalem and Judah in the name of the God of Israel, even concerning them.

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shelathiel and Joshua the son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

But the eye of God was upon the exiles of Judah, and they did not cease till the matter went to Darius; and then they returned an answer concerning this matter.

Be it known to the king that we went to Judea, to the city of the great God, which is being built with large stones, and much timber is laid in the walls; great works are wrought there, and a great enterprise is prospering in their hands.

And this was the reply they gave us, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and this house that we are rebuilding was built many years ago, and was completed by a king of Israel and his princes.

But because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of the Chaldeans, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia. Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt.

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God. which Nebuchadnezzar the king took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into his temple of Babylon, those vessels Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon and delivered to one whose name was Sheshmazzar, whom he had made governor;

Now therefore, if it please the king, let search be made in the scrolls which are in the kings treasure house, which is there in Babylon, to see whether it be so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree, and commanded that the house of God which is in Jerusalem shall be rebuilt in the place where they offered sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid; its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth twenty cubits,

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple which is in Jerusalem, every one to its place, and you shall store them in the house of God.

Let the work of the house of God alone: let the Jews and the Jewish exiles build the house of God in its place.

Moreover the decree is issued by me; why then do you quarrel with the Jews of the captivity and hinder them from building the house of God? From that which is of the kings wealth and of the tribute beyond the River forthwith shall the expenses be paid to these men, that they may not be hindered from working.

And whatever they wish to have, give it to them, and do not fail them anything, both young bullocks and rams and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the ordinance of the priests who are at Jerusalem; let it be brought to them day by day without fail,

That they may offer sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the king and his sons.

And the God whose name we have found to be there, there shall he dwell, and any king or people who shall stretch out his hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem, I Darius have made a decree that he shall speedily perish.

And the exiles of the Jews did the work, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius and Artakhshisht king of Persia.

And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the children of Judah celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

And they offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and twelve he-goats for a sin offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.