In the castle of Susa there was a Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, the son of Benjamin, which was carried away from Jerusalem, when Jechoniah the king of Judah was led away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried away;
Phares, thy kingdom is dealt in parts, and given to the Medes and Persians."
This is the heavy burden of the waste sea: A grievous vision was showed unto me, even as the stormy weather that passeth through at the noonday, to come from the wilderness, from that horrible land. Whoso may deceive, said the voice, let him deceive: Who so may destroy, let him destroy. Up Elam, besiege it O Media, for I will still all their groanings. With this, the reins of my back were full of pain: Pangs came upon me, as upon a woman in her travail. It made me stoop when I heard it, and it vexed me when I saw it.
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My heart panted, I trembled for fear. The night of my voluptuousness hath he turned against me into fear. While they garnished the table, the watchman looked: and while he was eating and drinking it was said, "Up, ye Captains, take you to your shield." For thus the Lord hath charged me: "Go thy way, and set a watchman, that he may tell what he seeth." And when he had waited diligently, he saw two horsemen: the one riding upon an Ass, the other upon a camel. And the watchman cried, "LORD, I have stood waiting all the whole day, and am appointed to keep my watch every night. And behold, here cometh a chariot of men with two horsemen." And he answered and said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen! She is turned upside down, and all the images of her gods are smitten to the ground!" This, O my fellow threshers and fanners, have I heard of the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, to show it unto you.
And in the first year of Darius of Media, I stood by him, to comfort him and to strength him, and now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, but the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And when he is in the chiefest power of his riches, he shall provoke every man against the realm of Greekland. Then shall there arise yet a mighty king, that shall rule with great dominion, and do what him list.
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And as soon as his kingdom cometh up, it shall be destroyed, and divided toward the four winds of the heaven. They that come after him shall not have such power and dominion as he: but his kingdom shall be scattered: yea, even among others than those.
Thou king sawest, and behold: there stood before thee a great Image, whose figure was marvelous great, and his visage grim. The image head was of fine gold, his breast and arms of silver, his body and loins were of copper, his legs were of iron, his feet were part of iron and part of earth.
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Thou beheldest it till a stone was cut without hands, which smote the image upon the feet that were both of iron and earth, and brake them to powder. Then was the iron, the earth, the copper, the silver and gold broken altogether in pieces: and became like the chaff of corn, that the wind bloweth away from the summer floors, that they can no more be found. But the stone that smote the Image, became a great mountain, which fulfilleth the whole earth. This is the dream. And now will we show before the king, what it meaneth. O king, thou art a king of kings: For the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, riches, strength, and majesty: And hath delivered thee all things that are among the children of men: the beasts of the field, and the fowls under the heaven, and given thee dominion over them all. Thou art that golden head. After thee there shall arise another kingdom, which shall be less than thine. The third kingdom shall be like copper, and have domination in all lands. The fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron. For like as iron bruiseth and breaketh all things: Yea even as iron beateth everything down, so shall it beat down and destroy. Whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of earth and part of iron: that is a divided kingdom, which nevertheless shall have some of the iron ground mixed with it, forsomuch as thou hast seen the iron mixed with the clay. The toes of the feet that were part of iron and part of clay, signifieth: that it shall be a kingdom partly strong and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with clay: they shall mingle themselves with the seed of simple people: and yet not continue one with another, like as iron will not be soldered with a potsherd. In the days of these kings, shall the God of heaven set up an everlasting kingdom, which shall not perish, and his kingdom shall not be given over to another people. Yea, the same shall break and destroy all these kingdoms, but it shall endure forever. And whereas thou sawest that without any hands there was cut out of the mount a stone, which brake the iron, the copper, the earth, the silver and gold in pieces: by that hath the great God showed the king, what will come after this. This is a true dream, and the interpretation of it is sure."
The Persians, Ethiopians, and with them the Libyans which all bear shields and helmets:
For lo, I shall bring up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver, nor be desirous of gold.
These are the words, that the LORD spake to the prophet Jeremiah concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, and take away their strength; and upon Elam I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them against the same four winds. And there shall be no people, but some of Elam shall flee unto them.
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For I will cause Elam to be afraid of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives: and will bring upon them the indignation of my wrath, sayeth the LORD. And I will persecute them with the sword so long till I have brought them to naught. I will set my stool in Elam, I will destroy both the king and the princes from thence, sayeth the LORD. But in process of time, I will bring Elam out of captivity again, sayeth the LORD."
Make sharp the arrows, and fill the quivers: for the LORD shall raise up the spirit of the king of the Medes, which hath already a desire to destroy Babylon. This shall be the vengeance of the LORD's, and the vengeance of his temple. Set up tokens upon the walls of Babylon, make your watch strong, set your watchmen in array, yea hold privy watches: and yet for all that shall the LORD go forth with the device, which he hath taken upon them that dwell in Babylon. O thou that dwellest by the great waters, O thou that hast so great treasure and riches, thine end is come: and the reckoning of thy winnings.
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The LORD of Hosts hath sworn by himself that he will overwhelm thee with men, like grasshoppers in number, which with courage shall cry 'Alarum, Alarum' against thee. Yea even the LORD of Hosts, that with his power made the earth, with his wisdom prepared the round world, and with his discretion spied out the heavens. As soon as he letteth his voice be heard, the waters in the air wax fierce: He draweth up the clouds from the ends of the earth. He turneth the lightnings to rain, he bringeth the winds out of their secret places. By the reason of wisdom, all men are become fools. Confounded be all the casters of images: for the thing that they make is but deceit, and hath no breath. Vain is it; and worthy to be laughed at. And in the time of visitation it shall perish. "Nevertheless, the portion of Jacob is none such: but he that made all things, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, he is the rod of his inheritance. Thou breakest my weapons of war, and yet through thee I have scattered the nations and kingdoms; through thee have I scattered horse and horseman; yea, the chariots, and such as sat upon them; through thee I have scattered man and woman, old and young, bachelor and maiden. Through thee I have scattered the shepherd and his flock, the husbandman and his cattle, the princes and the rulers. Therefore will I reward the city of Babylon and all her citizens the Chaldeans, with all the evil which they have done unto Zion. Yea, that ye yourselves shall see it, sayeth the LORD. "Behold, I come upon thee, thou noisesome hill, sayeth the LORD; thou that destroyest all lands. I will stretch out my hand over thee, and cast thee down from the stony rocks; and will make thee a burnt hill, so that neither cornerstones, nor pinnacles, nor foundation stones shall be taken any more out of thee, but waste and desolate shalt thou lie for evermore, sayeth the LORD. Set up a token in the land, blow the trumpets among the Heathen, provoke the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz against her: set the prince against her, bring as great a sort of horses against her, as if they were grasshoppers. Prepare against them the people of the Medes with their kings, princes and all their chief rulers; yea, and the whole land that is under them. The land also shall shake and be afraid, when the device of the LORD shall come forth against Babylon: to make the land of Babylon so waste that no man shall dwell any more therein. The Worthies of Babylon shall leave the battle, and keep themselves in strongholds, their strength hath failed them, they shall be like women. Their dwelling places shall be burnt up, their bars shall be broken. One pursuant shall meet another; yea, one post shall come by another; to bring the king of Babylon tidings that his city is taken in on every side: the fords occupied; the fens burnt up; and the soldiers sore afraid. "For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon hath been in her time like as a threshing floor, but shortly shall her harvest come. 'Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured and destroyed me, he hath made me an empty vessel. He swallowed me up like a dragon, and filled his belly with my delicates: he hath cast me out. He hath taken my substance away and the thing that was left me hath he carried unto Babylon,' sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Zion. 'Yea, and my blood also, unto the Chaldeans,' sayeth Jerusalem. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will defend thy cause, and avenge thee: I will drink up her sea, and dry up her water springs. Babylon shall become a heap of stones, a dwelling place for dragons, a fearfulness and wondering, because no man dwelleth there. They shall roar together like lions, and as the young lions when they be angry, so shall they bend themselves. In their heat I shall set drink before them, and they shall be drunken for joy: Then shall they sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake, sayeth the LORD. I shall carry them down to be slain like sheep, like whethers and goats. O how was Sheshach won? O, how was the glory of the whole land taken? How happeneth it that Babylon is so wondered at among the Heathen? The sea is risen over Babylon, and hath covered her with his great waves. Her cities are laid waste, the land lieth unbuilded and void: it is a land where no man dwelleth, and where no man traveleth through. Moreover, I will visit Bel at Babylon: and the thing that he hath swallowed up, that same shall I pluck out of his mouth. The Gentiles also shall run no more unto him; yea, and the walls of Babylon shall fall. O my people, come out of Babylon: that every man may save his life from the fearful wrath of the LORD. Be not faint hearted, and fear not at every rumor that shall be heard in the land: for every year bringeth new tidings; yea, strange wickedness and lordship. And lo, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and the whole land shall be confounded; yea, and her slain shall lie in the midst of her. Heaven and earth, with all that is therein, shall rejoice over Babylon when the destroyers shall come upon her from the North, sayeth the LORD. Like as Babylon hath beaten down and slain many out of Israel, so shall there fall many, and be slain, in all her kingdom. Ye that have escaped the sword: haste you, stand not still. Remember the LORD afar off, and think upon Jerusalem: for we were ashamed to hear the blasphemies; our faces were covered with shame, because the strange aliens came into the Sanctuary of the LORD. "Wherefore, behold, sayeth the LORD, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and through the whole land they shall mourn and fall. Though Babylon climbed up into heaven, and kept her power on high: yet shall I send her destroyers, sayeth the LORD. A piteous cry shall be heard from Babylon, and a great misery from the land of the Chaldeans: when the LORD destroyeth them, and when he driveth out the high stomach and proud boasting, wherewith they have been as furious as the waves of great water floods, and made great crakes with their words. For the destroyers shall come upon her, even upon Babylon, which shall take her worthies and brake their bows: for God is disposed to avenge himself upon them, and sufficiently to recompense them. Yea, sayeth the LORD, I will make their princes, their wise men, their chief rulers and all their worthies, drunken: so that they shall sleep an everlasting sleep and never wake. Thus sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts. "Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The thick wall of Babylon shall be broken, and her proud gates shall be burnt up. And the thing that the Gentiles and the people have wrought with great travail and labour shall come to naught and be consumed in the fire." This is the charge that Jeremiah gave unto Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went toward Babylon with Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Seraiah was a peaceable prince. Jeremiah wrote in a book all the misery that should come upon Babylon; yea, and all these sermons that be written against Babylon; and gave Seraiah this charge, "When thou comest unto Babylon, see that thou read all these words, and say, 'O LORD, thou art determined to root out this place, so that neither people nor cattle shall dwell there anymore, but to lie waste forever.' And when thou hast read out the book, bind a stone to it, and cast it in the midst of Euphrates, and say, 'Even thus shall Babylon sink, and be thrust down with the burden of trouble that I will bring upon her: so that she shall never come up again.'" Thus far are the preachings of Jeremiah.
There is Elam also with all his people, and their graves round about: which all being wounded and slain with the sword, are gone down uncircumcised under the earth. Which, nevertheless, sometime brought fear into the land of the living: for the which they bear their shame, with the others that be gone down to the grave. Their burial is given them and all their people, among them that be slain. Their graves are round about all them, which be uncircumcised, and with them that be slain through the sword: for seeing that in times past they made the land of the living afraid, they must now bear their own shame, with them that go down to the pit, and lie among them, that be slain.
Nevertheless, they gave money unto the masons and the carpenters, and meat and drink and oil unto them of Sidon and of Tyre, to bring Cedar timber from Lebanon by sea unto Joppa, according to the commandment of Cyrus the king of Persia.
I say to Cyrus, "Thou art mine herdsman," so that he shall fulfill all things after my will. I say unto Jerusalem, "Be thou builded," and to the temple, "Be thou fast grounded."
I call a bird out of the East, and all that I take in hand, out of far countries, as soon as I command, I bring it hither: as soon as I think to devise a thing, I do it.
Thus sayeth the LORD unto Cyrus his anointed, whom I have taken by the righthand, to subdue nations before him: I will loose the girdles of kings, that they shall open the gates before thy face, and not to shut their doors. I will go before thee, and make the crooked straight. I shall break the brazen doors, and burst the iron bars. I shall give thee the hid treasure and the thing which is secretly kept, that thou mayest know, that I the God of Israel have called thee by thy name:
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and that for Jacob my servant's sake, and for Israel my chosen. For I called thee by name, and ordained thee before thou knewest me.
And the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to finish the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia that he made a proclamation throughout all this kingdom, and thereto to set it up in writing, saying, "Thus sayeth Cyrus king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me, which hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem that is in the land of Judah. Wherefore, whosoever is among you of all his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.'"
"In the first year of king Cyrus, commanded the same king Cyrus to build the house of God at Jerusalem, in the place where the sacrifice is made, and to lay the foundation to bear threescore cubits height, threescore cubits breadth,
I shall wake him up with righteousness, and order all his ways. He shall build my city, and let out my prisoners: and that neither for gifts or rewards, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
Gather you all together, and hearken: Which of yonder gods hath declared this? The LORD God hath a love unto him, and he shall perform his will against Babel and declare his power against the Chaldeans. I myself alone have told you this before. Yea, I shall call him and bring him forth, and give him a prosperous journey.
But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the other ancient fathers of Israel answered them, "It belongeth not to you, but to us to build the house unto our God: for we ourselves will build alone unto the LORD our God of Israel, as Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us."
But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, the same king Cyrus commanded to build this house of God - for the vessels of gold and silver in the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple at Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple at Babylon: those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and delivered them unto Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made captain,
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If it please the king now, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is at Babylon, whether it have been king Cyrus' commandment, that the house of God at Jerusalem should be builded: and send us the king's mind concerning the same."
Who raiseth up the just from the rising of the Sun, and calleth him to go forth? Who casteth down the people, and subdueth the kings before him: that he may throw them all to the ground with his sword, and scatter them like stubble with his bow? He followeth upon them, and goeth safely himself, and cometh in no foot path with his feet.
Write ye now therefore for the Jews, as it liketh you in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring." For the writings that were written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, durst no man disannul.
Wherefore, O king, confirm thou this statute, and make a writing: that the thing which the Medes and Persians have ordained be not altered nor broken." So Darius made the writing, and confirmed it. Now when Daniel understood that the writing was made, he went into his house: and the windows of his hall toward Jerusalem stood open. There kneeled he down upon his knees, three times a day: there he made his petition, and praised his God, like as his manner was to do afore time.
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Then these men made search, and found Daniel making his petition and praying unto his God. So they came to the king, and spake before him concerning his commandment, saying, "O king, hast thou not subscribed the statute, that within thirty days whoso requireth his petition of any god or man, but only of thyself, O king, he shall be cast into the den of the lions?" The king answered, and said, "It is true. It must be as a law of the Medes and Persians, that may not be broken."
And from the time forth that it was committed unto me to be a captain in the land of Judah, namely from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes - that is twelve years - I and my brethren lived not of such sustenance as was given to a captain:
And on the seventh day, when the king was merry of the wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas - the seven chamberlains that did service in the presence of king Ahasuerus - to fetch the queen Vashti with the crown regal, that he might show the people and princes her fairness: for she was beautiful. But the queen Vashti would not come at the king's word by his chamberlains. Then was the king very wroth, and his indignation kindled in him.
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And the king spake to the wise men that had understanding in the ordinances of the land - for the king's matters must be handled before all such as have knowledge of the law and judgment, and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king's face, and sat above in the kingdom. "What law," sayeth the king, "should be executed upon the queen Vashti, because she did not according to the word of the king by his chamberlains?" Then said Memucan before the king and the princes, "The queen Vashti hath not only done evil against the king but also against all the princes and all the people in all the lands of king Ahasuerus: for this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands before their eyes, and shall say, 'The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to come before him, but she would not.' And so shall the princesses in Persia and Media say likewise unto all the king's princes, when they hear of this deed of the queen, thus shall there arise dispitefulness and wrath enough. If it please the king, let there go a commandment from him, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and Medians - and not to be transgressed - that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus, and let the king give the kingdom unto another that is better than she. And when this commandment of the king, which shall be made, is published throughout all his empire - which is great - all women shall hold their husbands in honor; both among great and small." This pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. Then were there letters sent forth into all the king's lands, into every land according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should be lord in his own house. And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people.
And look which damsel pleaseth the king, let her be queen in Vashti's stead." This pleased the king, and he did so.
Next unto him builded Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half quarter of Jerusalem.
Next unto him builded Shallum the son of Hallohesh the ruler of the half quarter of Jerusalem, and his daughters.
After him builded Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half quarter of Bethzur, until the other side over against the sepulchers of David, and to the pool that was repaired, and unto the house of the mighty. After him builded the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him builded Hashabiah the ruler of the half quarter at Keilah in his quarter. After him builded their brethren, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half quarter of Keilah.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, which was of the seed of the Medes, and was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans:
and Darius out of Media took in the kingdom, being sixty two years of age.
And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the others of their counsel wrote unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia. But the scripture of the letter was written in the Syrians speech, and was interpreted in the language of the Syrians. Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth. Then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and others of the council of Dina, of Arphaxad, of Tarplat, of Persia, of Erech, of Babylon, of Susa, of Deha, and of Elam,
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and other of the people, whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and others that are now on this side the water. And this is the sum of the letter that they sent: "Unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants, the men that are now on this side the water. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which are come up from thee to us unto Ierusalem, into that seditious and wicked city, build the same? And make up the walls of it? And bring it out of the foundation? Be it known also unto the king, that if this city be builded and the walls made up again, then shall not they pay tribute, toll, and yearly custom, and the king's profit shall incur damage? And now in the mean season we have destroyed the temple, and would no longer see the king's dishonour. Therefore sent we out, and caused the king to be certified thereof: That it may be sought in the Chronicles of thy progenitors, and so shalt thou find in the same Chronicles, and perceive, that this city is seditious and noisome unto kings and lands, and that they cause others also to rebel of the old, and for the same cause was this city destroyed. Therefore do we certify the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls thereof made up, thou shalt keep nothing on this side the water by the reason of it." Then sent the king an answer, "Unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the others of their counsel that dwelt in Samaria, and unto others beyond the water: Peace and salutation. The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me, and I have commanded to make search: and it is found, that this city, of old, hath made insurrection against kings; and how the uproar and rebellion hath been committed therein. There have been mighty kings also at Jerusalem which have reigned over all that is beyond the water, and toll, tribute and a yearly custom was given unto them. Do ye now after this commandment, forbid the same men, that the city be not builded, till I have given commandment? Take heed now that ye be not negligent herein, lest the king have harm therethrough." Now when king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and their counsel, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and forbade them with violence and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God at Jerusalem, and continued so unto the second year of Darius king of Persia.
The Persians, Lydians and Libyans were in thine host, and helped thee to fight: these hanged up their shields and helmets with thee; these set forth thy beauty.
And he carried away them that had escaped the sword to Babylon, where they were servants to him and his children, until the kingdom of Persia began to rule;
It pleased Darius to set over his kingdom a hundred and twenty lords, which should be in all his kingdom about. Above these he set three princes - of whom Daniel was one - that the lords might give accounts unto them, and the king to be undiseased. But Daniel exceeded all these princes and lords, for the spirit of God was plenteous in him: so that the king was minded to set him over the whole realm.
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Wherefore the princes and lords sought to pick out in Daniel some quarrel against the kingdom: yet could they find none occasion nor fault upon him. For why? He was so faithful, that there was no blame nor dishonesty found in him. Then said these men, "We will get no quarrel against this Daniel, except it be in the law of his God." Upon this, went the princes and lords together unto the king, and said thus unto him, "King Darius, God save thy life forever. All the great estates of the realm - as the princes, dukes, senators and judges - are determined to put out a commandment of the king, and to make a sure statute. Namely, that whoso desireth any petition, either of any god or man within this thirty days, except it be only of thee, O king: the same person may be cast into the lions' den.
As for Samaria, they shall be made waste. And why? They are disobedient unto their God. They shall perish with the sword, their children shall be slain, and their women great with child shall be ripped up.
But thou Ezra - after the wisdom of thy God that is in thy hand - set thou judges and arbiters, to judge all the people that is beyond the Jordan, even all such as know the law of thy God: and them that know it not, those see that ye teach.
and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of the Persians and Medes, which saw the king's face, and sat above in the kingdom.
in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and servants. And the mighty men of Persia and Media, the captains also, and rulers of his countries, were before him;
And the king said unto me, the queen his wife sitting by him, "How long shall thy journey continue, and when wilt thou come again?" And it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time,