1In the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, that the word of the Lord might be accomplished, that he had promised by the mouth of Jeremiah; 2the Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians, and he made proclamation through all his kingdom, and also by writing, 3saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians; The Lord of Israel, the most high Lord, hath made me king of the whole world, 4and commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judea. 5If therefore there be any of you that are of his people, let his Lord be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judea, and build the house of the Lord of Israel: for he is the Lord that dwelleth in Jerusalem. 6All those who dwell in the surrounding places, let them help him; every one with gold and silver, with gifts, with horses, and with cattle, and other things that are added due to vows for the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 7Then the leaders of the families of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, and all those whose spirit the Lord had stirred, prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 8And those around them assisted them with silver and gold, horses and cattle, and with very many offerings from many whose spirit moved them. 9And king Cyrus brought forth the holy vessels of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Jerusalem and had placed in his idol temple. 10Cyrus, the king of the Persians, brought them forth by the hand of Mithridates the treasurer. 11And he delivered them to Sanabassar, the governor of Judea. 12The count of them was: one thousand golden basins, one thousand silver basins, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty golden bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten of silver, and one thousand other vessels. 13All the vessels, of gold and of silver, were five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine. 14They were brought up by Sanabassar, along with the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. 15In the days of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians, Beslemus, Mithridates, Tabellius, Rathumus, Beeltethmus, and the scribe Samellius, and the others appointed with them, who lived in Samaria and other places, wrote against those who dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem, in the following letter: 16To king Artaxerxes, our lord, from your servants Rathumus, the storyteller, and Samellius the scribe, and the others of their council and judges in Celosyria and Phoenicia. 17May it be known now to the lord king that the Jews who came up from you to us are come to Jerusalem, a rebellious and wicked city, they are building its marketplaces, and repairing the walls, and laying the foundation of the temple. 18Now, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tribute but resist kings. Seeing this work on the temple proceeding, we thought it proper not to overlook it and inform the lord king, that it may be checked in the records of your fathers. 19And you shall find in the records what is written concerning this city, that it was rebellious and caused trouble for both kings and cities, and that the Jews have always been rebellious, instigating sieges, which led to its desolation. 20Therefore we notify you, O king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls raised again, you will no longer have access to Celosyria and Phoenicia. 21Then the king wrote back to Rathumus the storyteller, to Beeltethmus, to Samellius the scribe, and to the others appointed who live in Samaria and Syria and Phoenicia as follows: 22I have read the letter you sent me. I ordered an investigation, and it was found that this city has always been set against kings. 23The people were rebellious and waged wars, and strong and stubborn kings ruled in Jerusalem, imposing tributes on Celosyria and Phoenicia. 24Now I have ordered that these men be prevented from building the city, to ensure that no further disorder grows to trouble kings. 25Then Rathumus, Samellius the scribe, and their companions hurried to Jerusalem after reading the decree of King Artaxerxes, with cavalry and a multitude of armed forces, to prevent the builders. Thus the construction of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
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