In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to accomplish the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia and he sent a message to all of his kingdom and also [put the message] in writing:

"Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: Yahweh, the God of the heavens, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. And he himself has appointed me to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Whoever among you [who is] from all of his people, may his God be with him and may he go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may he build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He is the God who [is] in Jerusalem.

So the heads of the {families} for Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites--to all whose spirit God had stirred--[prepared] to go up and build the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem.

Cyrus the king of Persia let them go out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.

All of the objects of gold and silver metal [were] five thousand four hundred. All this Sheshbazzar brought up along with the exiles from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

Now these were the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exile whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his [own] city.

the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;

the descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;

the descendants of Pahath-moab, [particularly] the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;

the descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

the descendants of Bani, six hundred and forty-two;

the descendants of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;

the descendants of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six;

the descendants of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three;

the people of Azmaveth, forty-two;

the men of Micmash, one hundred and twenty-two;

the men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;

the people of Nebo, fifty-two;

the people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

the descendants of Immer, one thousand fifty-two;

the descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;

All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

Now these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their fathers' household and their descent, if they were from Israel:

the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.

The governor said to them that they could not eat from the holy food of the sanctuary until there was present a priest for the Urim and Thummim.

The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,

apart from their male and female servants, of whom were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred male and female singers.

Their horses [numbered] seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules [numbered] two hundred and forty-five,

When [some] of the heads of {families} came to the house of Yahweh that [is] in Jerusalem, they gave freewill offerings for the house of God to erect it on its place.

According to their ability they gave to the treasury room for the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly tunics.

And Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers the priests stood up, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers built the altar of the God of Israel, in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

And they kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and [offered] burnt offerings day by day in number according to the ordinance {as described for each day}.

After [this, they presented] the daily sacrifice of burnt offerings, [the offerings] for the New Moon Festival, and for all of the appointed times consecrated for Yahweh and for all who gave a freewill offering to Yahweh.

From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh. But the temple of Yahweh was not yet founded.

So they gave money to the stone craftsmen and skilled craftsmen, and food, drink, and olive oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the authorization over them of Cyrus king of Persia.

In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh.

And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests [in their] apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, {as described by} King David of Israel.

And they {sang responsively}, with praising and thanksgiving to Yahweh [saying], "For he is good, for his loyal love is everlasting for Israel." And all of the people responded with a great shout of joyful acclaim in praise to Yahweh because the house of Yahweh was laid.

And they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the {families}, and they said to them, "Let us build with you. Like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing [to him] from the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assyria who brought us up here.

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the {families} of Israel said to them, "[It is] not for you but for us to build a house for our God. For we ourselves alone will build [it] for Yahweh the God of Israel, just as Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

Then the people of the land discouraged {the people of Judah} and made them afraid to build

and bribed officials against them to frustrate their plan for all the days of Cyrus king of Persia until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.

Rehum the royal officer and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows

this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes [from] your servants, the men of [the province] Beyond the River. And now,

be it known to the king that the Jews who have come up from near you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the wall and repairing the foundation.

Now be it known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute and toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced.

Now since we eat the salt of the palace and the dishonor of the king is not proper for us to see, we send and make [this] known to the king,

so that it may be investigated in the book of records of your ancestors. You will find in the book of records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and they have rebelled in its midst from ancient times. Because of that this city was destroyed.

We make known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, you will have nothing in [the province] Beyond the River."

The king sent a reply: "To Rehum the royal officer, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and the rest [of the province] Beyond the River, greetings. And now

the letter that you sent to us has been translated [and] read before me.

Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, [governing] all [the province] Beyond the River, to whom tribute, duty, and tax has been given.

And be careful not to be negligent on this matter. Why should damage grow to hurt kings?"

Then when a copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates they returned in a hurry to Jerusalem against the Jews and they stopped them by force and power.

Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in {Judah} and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak set out and began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And with them the prophets of God [were] helping them.

At the same time Tattenai, governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: "Who issued you all a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?"

And the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report came to Darius, and then [answer] was received.

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in [the province] Beyond the River sent to Darius the king.

They sent to him the report {in which was written as follows}: "To Darius the king, all peace.

May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, the house of the great God. It is being built with stone blocks and timber is being put in the walls. This work is being done with diligence and is making progress in their hands.

Then we asked those elders and said this to them, 'Who issued forth to you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?'

We also asked them their names to make them known to you, that we might write down the {name of their leaders}.

And this is the answer they returned to us: 'We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house that was built formerly many years ago, [which] a great king of Israel had built and finished.

But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia.

But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon's reign he issued forth a decree to build this house of God.

Also, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took away from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylonia, King Cyrus removed them from the temple in Babylonia and they were given to Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor.

He said to him, 'Take these vessels. Go put them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be built on its site.'

And now, if it seems good for the king, let it be investigated in the house of the treasury of the king in Babylonia [to see] if a decree was issued forth from King Cyrus to build this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send to us his desire on this matter."

Also, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylonia, be returned and brought to the temple in Jerusalem to its place. Put them in the house of God."

And I issue forth a decree for what you should do for these elders of the Jews to build this house of God. The full expense will be paid to these men from the riches of the king from the taxes of [the province] Beyond the River, without delay.

Whatever may be needed--{young bulls}, young rams, sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil for the priests in Jerusalem--let it be given to them day by day with no negligence,

that they may offer incense offerings to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children.

May the God who has set his name there overthrow any king or people who sets his hand to alter [or] to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, issue forth a decree. Let it be done with diligence."

This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

And they offered during the dedication of this house of God one hundred young bulls, two hundred young rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering for Israel [according to] the number of the tribes of Israel.

On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles observed the Passover feast.

The {Israelites} who returned from the exile and all those who separated themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the earth to seek Yahweh the God of Israel, ate.

With joy they celebrated the festival of unleavened bread [for] seven days, because Yahweh had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them in order to help them with the work of their hands on the house of the God of Israel.

Some of the {Israelites}, some priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

For on the first day of the first month he began the journey from Babylonia; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God [was] on him.

For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, to do [it], and to teach the regulations and judgments in Israel.

This is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the scroll of the words of the commands of Yahweh and his statutes for Israel:

"Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of the heavens. Peace. And now

I issue forth a decree that any of the people of Israel, their priests, or their Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem may go with you.

For you are sent from the king and his seven counselors to enquire about Judah and Jerusalem concerning the law of your God, which is in your hand.

Also, bring the silver and gold that the king and his advisors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,

You may do whatever seems best to you and your brothers to do with the remainder of the silver and gold according to the desire of your God.

And the vessels that were given to you for the service of the house of your God you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem.

And the remainder of the needs for the house of your God that falls to you to provide, you may provide from the house of the king's treasury."

"I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue forth a decree to all the treasurers who are in [the province] Beyond the River. Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may ask of you, let it be done with diligence,

up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and {unlimited salt}.

You also should be aware that it is not permitted to place tax, tribute, or duty upon all of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, and other servants of the house of God.

"You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who can judge all of the people [in the province] Beyond the River who know the laws of your God. And you will teach those who do not know.

All who do not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with diligence, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods and for imprisonment."

Blessed be Yahweh the God of our ancestors, who put this in the heart of the king to glorify the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem

and who extended to me loyal love before the king and his counselors, and before all of the mighty officials of the king. I took courage, for the hand of Yahweh my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.