"Thus sayeth Cyrus the king of Persia: 'The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the land and hath commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah.

Whosoever now among you is of his people, the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel. He is the God that is at Jerusalem.

And whosoever remaineth yet in any manner of place, where he is a stranger, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with good and cattle, beside that which they willingly offer, for the house of God at Jerusalem.'"

Then gat up the principal fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, and all they whose spirit God had raised to go up, and to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem.

And king Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of Jerusalem and put in his god's house.

So that all the vessels both of gold and silver, were five thousand and four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought them all up, with them that came up out of the captivity of Babylon unto Jerusalem.

These are the children of the land that went up out of the captivity, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and in Judah, every one unto his city;

And certain of the chief fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, they offered willingly unto the house of God, that it should be set in his place;

And when the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were now in their cities, the people came together, even as one man, unto Jerusalem.

In the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem: and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and above, to see that the work of the house of the LORD went forward.

But when Ahasuerus was king, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote unto him a complaint against the inhabiters of Judah and Jerusalem.

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth.

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.

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 Prophets, Haggai, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.

Then gat up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God at Jerusalem, and with them the Prophets of God which strengthened them.

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,

and said unto him, 'Take these vessels, go thy way, and bring them unto the temple at Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.'

Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God at Jerusalem. Since that time hath it been in building, and yet is it not finished.

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."

"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,

And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God - which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon - shall be restored again, that they may be brought unto the temple at Jerusalem to their place into the house of God."

And if they have need of calves, lambs, or goats, for the burnt offering unto the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine and oil, after the custom of the priests at Jerusalem, there shall be given them daily as is according: and see that this be done without fault,

But the God that dwelleth in heaven, destroy all kings and people that put to their hand to alter and to break down the house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have commanded, that this be diligently done."

and set the priests in their courses, and the Levites in their offices to minister unto God which is at Jerusalem as it is written in the book of Moses.

And there went up certain of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and of the Levites, of the singers, of the porters, and of the Nethinims; unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of king Artaxerxes.

And they came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, that is the seventh year of the king.

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of God upon him.

I have commanded, that all they of the people of Israel, and of the priests and Levites in my realm, which are minded of their own good will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee;

and therefore art thou sent of the king and of the seven lords of the counsel, to visit Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of God, which is in thy hand;

and that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Jerusalem,

and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the country of Babylon; with it that the people and priests give of their own good will unto the house of God at Jerusalem.

Take thou the same, and buy diligently with the same money, calves, lambs, goats, and meat offerings and drink offerings, to be offered upon the altar of the house of your God at Jerusalem.

And the vessels that are given thee for the ministration in the house of thy God, those deliver thou before God at Jerusalem.

Praised be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath so inspired the king's heart, to garnish the house of God at Jerusalem:

Watch ye therefore and keep it, till ye weigh it down before the chief priests and Levites, and ancient fathers of Israel at Jerusalem in the chests of the house of the LORD."

Then took the priests and the Levites that weighed silver and gold and vessel, to bring it to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.

So we brake up, from the water of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemies and of such as laid wait for us by the way.

And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

For we are bondmen, and our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, and hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, that he should give us life, and promote the house of our God, and to set up the desolation thereof, and to give us a hedge in Judah and in Jerusalem.

And they caused a proclamation be made throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children which had been in captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem:

Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem in three days, that is on the twentieth day of the ninth month: and all the people sat in the street before of the house of God, and trembled because of this matter, and for the rain.