Thus, saith Cyrus, king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth, hath Yahweh God of the heavens, given to me, - and, he himself, hath laid charge upon me, to build for him a house, in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Rehum holder of judicial authority, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem, - to Artaxerxes the king, thus:

Beware, then, of failure to do thus, - wherefore should the damage increase, to inflict loss on the kings?

At that time, came unto them Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, - and, thus, spake they unto them, Who hath issued unto you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

a message, sent they unto him, - and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!

Then asked we of these elders, thus, we said to them, - Who hath issued to you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

And, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, - We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.

And there was found in Achmetha, in the fortress which is in the province of Media, a roll, - and, thus, was it written therein, as a record: -

Then responded all the convocation and said, with a loud voice, - Thus, according to thy word concerning us, must it be done.

But the Sons of the Exile, did thus, and Ezra the priest separated to himself certain men - ancestral heads by their ancestral houses, and all of them by name, - and they took their seats on the first day of the tenth month to search into the matter;