Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus; To Darius the king, all peace.

Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to erect these walls?

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was erected these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and set up.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and in it was a record thus written: