1 In the first yeere of Cyrus king of the Persians, that the worde of the Lorde might bee accomplished, that hee had promised by the mouth of Ieremie:

2 The Lord raised vp the spirit of Cyrus the king of the Persians, and he made proclamation thorow al his kingdome, and also by writing,

3 Saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians, The Lord of Israel the most high Lord, hath made me king of the whole world,

4 And commanded me to build him an house at Ierusalem in Iurie.

5 If therefore there bee any of you that are of his people, let the Lord, euen his Lord be with him, and let him goe vp to Ierusalem that is in Iudea, and build the house of the Lord of Israel: for he is the Lord that dwelleth in Ierusalem.

6 Whosoeuer then dwell in the places about, let them helpe him, those I say that are his neighbours, with gold and with siluer,

7 With gifts, with horses, and with cattell, and other things, which haue bene set forth by vowe, for the Temple of the Lord at Ierusalem.

8 ¶ Then the chiefe of the families of Iudea, and of the tribes of Beniamin stood vp: the priests also and the Leuites, and all they whose minde the Lord had moued to goe vp, and to build an house for the Lord at Ierusalem,

9 And they that dwelt round about them, and helped them in all things with siluer and gold, with horses and cattell, and with very free gifts of a great number whose mindes were stirred vp thereto.

10 King Cyrus also brought foorth the holy vessels which Nabuchodonosor had caried away from Ierusalem, and had set vp in his temple of idoles.

11 Now when Cyrus king of the Persians had brought them foorth, hee deliuered them to Mithridates his treasurer:

12 And by him they were deliuered to Sanabassar þ^e gouernour of Iudea.

13 And this was the number of them, a thousand golden cuppes, and a thousand of siluer, censers of siluer twentie nine, vials of gold thirtie, and of siluer two thousand foure hundred and ten, and a thousand other vessels.

14 So all the vessels of gold, and of siluer which were caried away, were fiue thousand, foure hundred, threescore and nine.

15 These were brought back by Sanabassar, together with them of the captiuity, from Babylon to Ierusalem.

16 But in the time of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Belemus, and Mithridates, and Tabellius, and Rathumus, and Beeltethmus, and Semellius the Secretarie, with others that were in commission with them, dwelling in Samaria and other places, wrote vnto him against them that dwelt in Iudea and Ierusalem, these letters following.

17 To King Artaxerxes our lord, Thy seruants Rathumus the story writer, and Semellius the scribe, and the rest of their counsell, and the Iudges that are in Coelosyria and Phenice.

18 Be it now knowen to the lord the king, that the Iewes that are come vp from you to vs, being come into Ierusalem (that rebellious and wicked citie,) doe build the market places, and repaire the walles of it, and doe lay the foundation of the Temple.

19 Now if this citie, and the walles thereof be made vp againe, they will not onely refuse to giue tribute, but also rebell against kings.

20 And forasmuch as the things pertaining to the Temple, are now in hand, we thinke it meete not to neglect such a matter,

21 But to speake vnto our lord the king, to the intent that if it be thy pleasure, it may be sought out in the bookes of thy fathers:

22 And thou shalt finde in the Chronicles, what is written concerning these things, and shalt vnderstand that that citie was rebellious, troubling both kings and cities:

23 And that the Iewes were rebellious, and raised alwayes warres therin, for the which cause euen this citie was made desolate.

24 Wherefore now wee doe declare vnto thee, (O lord the king) that if this citie bee built againe, and the walles thereof set vp anew, thou shalt from hencefoorth haue no passage into Corlosyria and Phenice.

25 Then the King wrote backe againe to Rathumus the storie-writer, to Beeltethmus, to Semellius the scribe, and to the rest that were in commission, and dwellers in Samaria and Syria, and Phenice, after this maner.

26 I haue read the Epistle which ye haue sent vnto mee: therefore I commanded to make diligent search, and it hath bene found, that that city was from the beginning practising against Kings.

27 And the men therein were giuen to rebellion, and warre, and that mightie Kings and fierce were in Ierusalem, who reigned and exacted tributes in Coelosyria and Phenice.

28 Now therefore I haue commanded to hinder those men from building the citie, and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it,

29 And that those wicked workers proceed no further to the annoyance of Kings.

30 Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read, Rathumus and Semellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them, remoouing in hast towards Ierusalem with a troupe of horsemen, and a multitude of people in battell aray, began to hinder the builders, and the building of the Temple in Ierusalem ceased vntill the second yeere of the reigne of Darius King of the Persians.