Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

And they will do the festival of tents as written, and the burnt-offerings of a day in a day, in number according to judgment, the word of a day in its day.

Now because we are responsible to the king, and it is not right for us to see the king's honour damaged, we have sent to give the king word of these things,

We give you word, that if the building of this town and its walls is made complete, there will be an end of your power in the country across the river.

And the king sent word to Rehum, lord of judgment, and to Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who dwelt in Shomeron, and the rest beyond the river, Peace and as now.

This is to give the king word that we went into the land of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is made of great stones, and has its walls supported with wood, and the work is going on with industry, and they are doing it well.

And we made request for their names, so that we might send you word, and give you the names of the men at the head of them.

And thus they have returned us word, saying, We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

So now, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the king's store-house at Babylon, to see if it is true that an order was given by Cyrus the king for the building of this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us word of his pleasure in connection with this business.

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;

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 responsible men of the Jews went on with their building, and did well, helped by the teaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. They went on building till it was complete, in keeping with the word of the God of Israel, and the orders given by Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellers, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

And at my hearing this word, I have rent my garment and my upper robe, and pluck out of the hair of my head, and of my beard, and sit astonished,

And there resorted unto me all such as feared the word of the LORD God of Israel, because of the great transgression. And I sat mourning until the evening sacrifice.

do we turn back to break Thy commands, and to join ourselves in marriage with the people of these abominations? art not Thou angry against us -- even to consumption -- till there is no remnant and escaped part?

O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

Arise; for to thee the word, and we with thee: be strong and do.

Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.

Then they sent word throughout Judah and Jerusalem to everyone who had returned from the exile, to gather together in Jerusalem.

And all the men of Judah and Benjamin will gather together at Jerusalem in three days. It was the ninth month, in the twentieth in the month, and all the people will sit in the broad place of the house of God, trembling for the word, and from the heavy showers.

And all the assembly answer and say with a great voice, 'Right; according to thy word -- on us to do;

But the people many, and a time of heavy showers, and no power to stand without, and the work not for one day, and not for two: for we many transgressing in this word.

And our chiefs to all the convocation shall stand now, and all who in our cities dwelt with strange wives, shall come at the appointed times, and with them the old men of city and city, and its judges, until the turning back the burning of the anger of our God from us even for this word.

And thus the sons of the exile will do. And they will be separated, Ezra the priest, men, heads of the fathers, for the house of their fathers, and all of them by names, and they will it down in one day to the tenth month to seek out the word.

And they gave their word that they would put away their wives; and for their sin, they gave an offering of a male sheep of the flock.