H9002–/וְ–v

This is a copy of the letter which Tattenai, the ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and his friends the Apharsachites, living across the river, sent to Darius the king:

וּשְׁתַ֤ר (וּ) u. “and”וּכְנָ֣וָתֵ֔הּ (וּ) u. “and”

They sent him a letter saying, To Darius the king, all peace:

וְכִדְנָה֙ (וְ) ve. “and”

This is to give the king word that we went into the land of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is made of great stones, and has its walls supported with wood, and the work is going on with industry, and they are doing it well.

וְה֤וּא (וְ) ve. “and”וְאָ֖ע (וְ) ve. “and”וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּא (וַ) va. “and”וּמַצְלַ֥ח (וּ) u. “and”

Then we said to the men responsible, who gave you authority for the building of this house and these walls?

וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א (וְ) ve. “and”

And we made request for their names, so that we might send you word, and give you the names of the men at the head of them.

וְאַ֧ף (וְ) ve. “and”

And they made answer to us, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house which was put up in times long past and was designed and made complete by a great king of Israel.

וּכְנֵ֥מָא (וּ) u. “and”וְאַרְעָ֗א (וְ) ve. “and”וּבָנַ֤יִן (וּ) u. “and”וּמֶ֤לֶךְ (וּ) u. “and”וְשַׁכְלְלֵֽהּ׃ (וְ) ve. “and”

But when the God of heaven was moved to wrath by our fathers, he gave them up into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldaean, who sent destruction on this house and took the people away into Babylon.

וּבַיְתָ֤ה (וּ) u. “and”וְעַמָּ֖ה (וְ) ve. “and”

And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple which was in Jerusalem, and put into the house of his god in Babylon, these Cyrus the king took from the house of his god in Babylon, and gave to one named She

וְ֠אַף (וְ֠) Ve. “and”וְכַסְפָּא֒ (וְ) ve. “and”וְהֵיבֵ֣ל (וְ) ve. “and”וִיהִ֙יבוּ֙ (וִ) vi. “and”

And he said to him, Go, take these vessels, and put them in the Temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be put up again in its place.

וַאֲמַר־ (וַ) va. “and”וּבֵ֥ית (וּ) u. “and”

Then this same Sheshbazzar came and put the house of God in Jerusalem on its bases: and from that time till now the building has been going on, but it is still not complete.

וּמִן־ (וּ) u. “and”וְעַד־ (וְ) ve. “and”וְלָ֥א (וְ) ve. “and”

So now, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the king's store-house at Babylon, to see if it is true that an order was given by Cyrus the king for the building of this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us word of his pleasur

וּכְעַ֞ן (וּ) u. “and”וּרְע֥וּת (וּ) u. “and”

Then Darius the king gave an order and a search was made in the house of the records, where the things of value were stored up in Babylon.

וּבַקַּ֣רוּ׀ (וּ) u. “and”

And at Achmetha, in the great house of the king in the land of Media, they came across a roll, in which this statement was put on record:

וְהִשְׁתְּכַ֣ח (וְ) ve. “and”וְכֵן־ (וְ) ve. “and”

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made an order: In connection with the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be put up, the place where they make offerings, and let the earth for the bases be put in place; let it be sixty cubits hig

וְאֻשּׁ֖וֹהִי (וְ) ve. “and”

With three lines of great stones and one line of new wood supports; and let the necessary money be given out of the king's store-house;

וְנִדְבָּ֖ךְ (וְ) ve. “and”וְנִ֨פְקְתָ֔א (וְ) ve. “and”

And let the gold and silver vessels from the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple at Jerusalem to Babylon, be given back and taken again to the Temple at Jerusalem, every one in its place, and put them in the house of God.

וְ֠אַף (וְ֠) Ve. “and”וְכַסְפָּא֒ (וְ) ve. “and”וְהֵיבֵ֣ל (וְ) ve. “and”וִ֠יהָךְ (וִ֠) Vi. “and”וְתַחֵ֖ת (וְ) ve. “so”

So now, Tattenai, ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and your people the Apharsachites across the river, keep far from that place:

וּכְנָוָ֣תְה֔וֹן (וּ) u. “and”

Let the work of this house of God go on; let the ruler of the Jews and their responsible men put up this house of God in its place.

וּלְשָׂבֵ֣י (וּ) u. “and”

Further, I give orders as to what you are to do for the responsible men of the Jews in connection with the building of this house of God: that from the king's wealth, that is, from the taxes got together in the land over the river, the money needed is to

וּמִנִּי֮ (וּ) u. “and”וּמִנִּכְסֵ֣י (וּ) u. “and”

And whatever they have need of, young oxen and sheep and lambs, for burned offerings to the God of heaven, grain, salt, wine, and oil, whatever the priests in Jerusalem say is necessary, is to be given to them day by day regularly:

וּמָ֣ה (וּ) u. “and”וּבְנֵ֣י (וּ) u. “and”וְדִכְרִ֣ין (וְ) ve. “and”וְאִמְּרִ֣ין׀ (וְ) ve. “and”וּמְשַׁ֗ח (וּ) u. “and”

So that they may make offerings of a sweet smell to the God of heaven, with prayers for the life of the king and of his sons.

וּמְצַלַּ֕יִן (וּ) u. “and”וּבְנֽוֹהִי׃ (וּ) u. “and”

And I have given orders that if anyone makes any change in this word, one of the supports is to be pulled out of his house, and he is to be lifted up and fixed to it; and his house is to be made waste for this;

וּמִנִּי֮ (וּ) u. “and”וּזְקִ֖יף (וּ) u. “and”וּבַיְתֵ֛הּ (וּ) u. “and”

And may the God who has made it a resting-place for his name send destruction on all kings and peoples whose hands are outstretched to make any change in this or to do damage to this house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given this order, let it be

וֵֽאלָהָ֞א (וֵֽ) ve. “and”וְעַם֙ (וְ) ve. “and”

Then Tattenai, the ruler across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and their people, because of the order given by King Darius, did as he had said with all care.

וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן (וּ) u. “and”

And the responsible men of the Jews went on with their building, and did well, helped by the teaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. They went on building till it was complete, in keeping with the word of the God of Israel, and the

וְשָׂבֵ֤י (וְ) ve. “and”וּמַצְלְחִ֔ין (וּ) u. “and”וּזְכַרְיָ֖ה (וּ) u. “and”וּבְנ֣וֹ (וּ) u. “and”וְשַׁכְלִ֗לוּ (וְ) ve. “and”וּמִטְּעֵם֙ (וּ) u. “and”וְדָרְיָ֔וֶשׁ (וְ) ve. “and”וְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא (וְ) ve. “and”