Ketuvim
Ezra4
Ezra · Chapter 4
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the heikhal unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el;
Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your Elohim, as ye
do;
and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Yisra'el, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our Elohim; but we ourselves together will build unto 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they
unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Yerushalayim.
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter
was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Yerushalayim to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
Then
wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites,
and the Elamites,
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest
that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
This
is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him,
even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Yerushalayim, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls
thereof, and joined the foundations.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up
again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and
so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Now because we have maintenance from
the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city
is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
We certify the king that, if this city be builded
again,
and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and
to Shimshai the scribe, and
to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and
unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and
that
rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
There have been mighty kings also over Yerushalayim, which have ruled over all
countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Give ye now mitsvah to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until
another mitsvah shall be given from me.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter
was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Yerushalayim unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Then ceased the work of the house of Elohim which
is at Yerushalayim. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ketuvim
Ezra5
Ezra · Chapter 5
Then the nevi'im, Haggai the navi, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that
were in Judah and Yerushalayim in the name of the Elohim of Yisra'el,
even unto them.
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of Elohim which
is at Yerushalayim: and with them
were the nevi'im of Elohim helping them.
At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
But the eye of their Elohim was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this
matter.
The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which
were
on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great Elohim, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
Then asked we those elders,
and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that
were the chief of them.
And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the Elohim of shamayim and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Yisra'el builded and set up.
But after that our fathers had provoked the Elohim of shamayim unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Bavel, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Bavel.
But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Bavel
the same
king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of Elohim.
And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of Elohim, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the heikhal that
was in Yerushalayim, and brought them into the heikhal of Bavel, those did Cyrus the king take out of the heikhal of Bavel, and they were delivered unto
one, whose name
was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the heikhal that
is in Yerushalayim, and let the house of Elohim be builded in his place.
Then came the same Sheshbazzar,
and laid the foundation of the house of Elohim which
is in Yerushalayim: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and
yet it is not finished.
Now therefore, if
it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which
is there at Bavel, whether it be
so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of Elohim at Yerushalayim, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Ketuvim
Ezra6
Ezra · Chapter 6
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Bavel.
And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein
was a record thus written:
In the first year of Cyrus the king
the same Cyrus the king made a decree
concerning the house of Elohim at Yerushalayim, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits,
and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king’s house:
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of Elohim, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the heikhal which is at Yerushalayim, and brought unto Bavel, be restored, and brought again unto the heikhal which is at Yerushalayim,
every one to his place, and place
them in the house of Elohim.
Now
therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which
are
beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
Let the work of this house of Elohim alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of Elohim in his place.
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of Elohim: that of the king’s goods,
even
of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the Elohim of shamayim, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the kohanim which
are at Yerushalayim, let it be given them day by day without fail:
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the Elohim of shamayim, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
And the Elohim that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter
and to destroy this house of Elohim which is at Yerushalayim. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the navi and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished
it, according to the mitsvah of the Elohim of Yisra'el, and according to the mitsvah of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
And the children of Yisra'el, the kohanim, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of Elohim with joy,
And offered at the dedication of this house of Elohim an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Yisra'el, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisra'el.
And they set the kohanim in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of Elohim, which
is at Yerushalayim; as it is written in the book of Mosheh.
And the children of the captivity kept the pesach upon the fourteenth
day of the first month.
For the kohanim and the Levites were purified together, all of them
were pure, and killed the pesach for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the kohanim, and for themselves.
And the children of Yisra'el, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) Elohim of Yisra'el, did eat,
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (YHWH) had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of Elohim, the Elohim of Yisra'el.