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Also I make a decree as to what you shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of that house of God, that the exact expense be given to these men from the king's property, out of the tax Beyond the River, so that they may not haveto cease working.

And that which they need, both young bulls and rams and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of Heaven; wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as say the priests in Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail,

so that they may offer sacrifices of sweet odor to the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

And may the God who has caused His name to dwell there destroy any kings and people who shall put their hand to change or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have placed a decree. Let it be done exactly.

And the elders of the Jews were building. And they were succeeding through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built, and finished, according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according tothe command of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes the king of Persia.

And the sons of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the sons of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.

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

And they raised up the priests in their sections, and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God which is in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

And the sons of Israel ate, those who had returned from the exile, and who had all separated themselves to them from the impurity of the nations of the land, to seek Jehovah the God of Israel.

And they performed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy. For Jehovah had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to make their handsstrong in the work of the house of God, theGod of Israel.

this Ezra went up from Babylon. And he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which Jehovah the God of Israel had given. And the king granted him all he asked, according to the hand of Jehovah his God on him.

For on the first of the first month, he laid the foundation in order to go up from Babylon, and on the first of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God on him.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Law of the God of Heaven, perfect peace , and now:

since you have been sent by the king, and by his seven counselors to ask about Judah and Jerusalem, according to the Law of your God in your hand;

and to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose house is in Jerusalem:

even all the silver and gold which you can find in all the province of Babylon, with the free offering of the people, and of the priests, freely offering for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

Therefore of this you shall diligently buy with this silver: bulls, rams, lambs, with their food offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.

And whatever shall seem good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that after the will of your God.

Also the vessels which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

And the rest of the needs of the house of your God which falls to you to give, give it out of the king's treasure house.