1st Book of Àzrah — 2

Cyrus Permits the Exiles to Return

1 In the first year of Cyrus as king of the Persians, that the Dabar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH by the mouth of Yaramyahu might be accomplished, 

2 For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH stirred up the ruach of Cyrus king of the Persians, and he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

3 “Thus says Cyrus king of the Persians: The 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL has made me king of the world, 

4 and 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has commanded me to build him a house at Yahushalam, which is in Yahudah. 

5 If any one of you, therefore, is of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH's people, may 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH be with him, and let him go up to Yahushalam, which is in Yahudah, and build the house of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH is the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH who dwells in Yahushalam, 

6 and let each man, wherever he may live, be helped by the men of his place with gold and silver, 

7 with gifts and with horses and cattle, besides the other things added as votive offerings for the temple of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam.”

8 Then arose the heads of families of the tribes of Yahudah and Banyamin, and the Kuhanym and the Lauym, and all whose ruach 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had stirred to go up to build the house in Yahushalam for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH; 

9 and their neighbors helped them with everything, with silver and gold, with horses and cattle, and with a very great number of votive offerings from many whose hearts were stirred.

10 Cyrus the king also brought out the Qadash vessels of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which Nabuchadnazzar had carried away from Yahushalam and stored in his temple of idols. 

11 When Cyrus king of the Perians brought these out, he gave them to Mithridates his treasurer, 

12 and by him they were given to Shashbazzar the governor of Yahudah. 

13 The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. 

14 All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, 

15 and they were carried back by Shashbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylun to Yahushalam.

Opposition to Rebuilding Yahushalam 

16 But in the time of Artaxarxas king of the Persians, Bishlam, Mithridates, Tabaal, Rahum, Baltathmus, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, living in Samaria and other places, wrote him the following letter, against those who were living in Yahudah and Yahushalam:

17 “To King Artaxarxas our master, Your servants Rahum the recorder and Shimshai the scribe and the other judges of their council in Cualasyria and Phuanicia: 

18 Now be it known to our master the king that the Yahudym who came up from you to us have gone to Yahushalam and are building that rebellious and wicked city, repairing its market places and walls and laying the foundations for a temple. 

19 Now if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not only refuse to pay tribute but will even resist kings. 

20 And since the building of the temple is now going on, we think it best not to neglect such a matter, 

21 but to speak to our master the king, in order that, if it seems good to you, search may be made in the records of your fathers. 

22 You will find in the chronicles what has been written about them, and will learn that this city was rebellious, troubling both kings and other cities, 

23 and that the Yahudym were rebels and kept setting up blockades in it from of old. That is why this city was laid waste. 

24 Therefore we now make known to you, O master and king, that if this city is built and its walls finished, you will no longer have access to Cualasyria and Phuanicia.”

25 Then the king, in reply to Rahum the recorder and Baltathmus and Shimshai the scribe and the others associated with them and living in Samar′ia and Syria and Phuanicia, wrote as follows:

26 “I have read the letter which you sent me. So I ordered search to be made, and it has been found that this city from of old has fought against kings, 

27 and that the men in it were given to rebellion and war, and that mighty and cruel kings ruled in Yahushalam and exacted tribute from Cualasyria and Phuanicia. 

28 Therefore I have now issued orders to prevent these men from building the city and to take care that nothing more be done 

29 and that such wicked proceedings go no further to the annoyance of kings.”

30 Then, when the letter from King Artaxarxas was read, Rahum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates went in haste to Yahushalam, with horsemen and a multitude in battle array, and began to hinder the builders. And the building of the temple in Yahushalam ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.