H9010–א/–a

Then asked we those elders: thus we said to them, Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?

לְשָׂבַיָּ֣א (א) ' “the”בַּיְתָ֤א (א) ' “the”וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א (א) ' “the”

We asked their names also, to inform thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

גֻּבְרַיָּ֖א (א) ' “the”

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it.

פִתְגָמָ֖א (א) ' “the”שְׁמַיָּ֜א (א) ' “the”וְאַרְעָ֗א (א) ' “the”בַּיְתָא֙ (א֙) ' “the”

But after that our fathers had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people away unto Babylon.

שְׁמַיָּ֔א (א) ' “the”כַּסְדָּאָ֑ה (ה) ' “the”וּבַיְתָ֤ה (ה) ' “the”וְעַמָּ֖ה (ה) ' “the”

But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, king Cyrus gave orders to build this house of God.

מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּא֙ (א֙) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֥א (א) ' “God”

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was at Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed governor.

מָאנַיָּ֣א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָא֮ (א֮) ' “God”דַהֲבָ֣ה (ה) ' “gold”וְכַסְפָּא֒ (א֒) ' “silver”הֵֽיכְלָא֙ (א֙) ' “the”לְהֵיכְלָ֖א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֗א (א) ' “the”הֵֽיכְלָא֙ (א֙) ' “the”

And he said to him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is at Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

מָֽאנַיָּ֔א (א) ' “the”בְּהֵיכְלָ֖א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֖א (א) ' “God”

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, [ergänzt: and] laid the foundation of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and since that time even until now has it been in building, and it is not completed.

אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֖א (א) ' “God”

And now, if it seem good to the king, let search be made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that orders were given by king Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

מַלְכָּ֣א (א) ' “the”גִּנְזַיָּ֜א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֣א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּא֙ (א֙) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֥א (א) ' “God”מַלְכָּ֛א (א) ' “the”

Then king Darius gave orders, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”סִפְרַיָּ֗א (א) ' “the”גִנְזַיָּ֛א (א) ' “the”

And there was found at Achmetha in the fortress that is in the province of Media a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

בְּבִֽירְתָ֛א (א) ' “the”מְדִינְתָּ֖ה (ה) ' “the”דִּכְרוֹנָֽה׃ (ה) ' “memorandum”

In the first year of king Cyrus, king Cyrus made a decree [ergänzt: concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem: Let the house be built for a place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be solidly laid; its height sixty cubits, its breadth sixty cubits,

מַלְכָּ֗א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּא֮ (א֮) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֤א (א) ' “God”בַּיְתָ֣א (א) ' “the”

[ergänzt: with] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

וְנִ֨פְקְתָ֔א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”

and also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought again to the temple that is at Jerusalem, in their place; and thou shalt put [ergänzt: them] in the house of God.

אֱלָהָא֮ (א֮) ' “God”דַהֲבָ֣ה (ה) ' “gold”וְכַסְפָּא֒ (א֒) ' “silver”הֵיכְלָ֥א (א) ' “the”לְהֵיכְלָ֤א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָֽא׃ (א) ' “God”

Therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

נַהֲרָ֜ה (ה) ' “the”אֲפַרְסְכָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֑ה (ה) ' “the”

let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.

אֱלָהָ֣א (א) ' “God”יְהוּדָיֵא֙ (א֙) ' “the”יְהוּדָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֥א (א) ' “God”

Moreover, I give orders what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews, for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, of the tribute beyond the river, expenses be diligently given to these men, that they be not hindered.

יְהוּדָיֵא֙ (א֙) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֣א (א) ' “God”מַלְכָּ֗א (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֔ה (ה) ' “the”נִפְקְתָ֛א (א) ' “the”לְגֻבְרַיָּ֥א (א) ' “the”

And that which they have need of, both young bullocks and rams and lambs, for the burnt-offerings to the God of the heavens, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;

שְׁמַיָּ֟א (א) ' “the”כָּהֲנַיָּ֤א (א) ' “the”

that they may present sweet odours to the God of the heavens, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.

שְׁמַיָּ֑א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”

Also I have given order that whosoever shall alter this rescript, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

פִּתְגָמָ֣א (א) ' “the”

And the God that has caused his name to dwell there overthrow every king and people that shall put forth their hand to alter [ergänzt: or] to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have given [ergänzt: this] order; let it be done diligently.

וֵֽאלָהָ֞א (א) ' “God”אֱלָהָ֥א (א) ' “God”

Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, because of that which king Darius had sent, did so diligently.

נַהֲרָ֛ה (ה) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֛א (א) ' “the”

And the elders of the Jews built; and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and completed [ergänzt: it] according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

יְהוּדָיֵא֙ (א֙) ' “the”נְבִיָּ֔א (א) ' “the”

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of king Darius.

בַּיְתָ֣ה (ה) ' “the”מַלְכָּֽא׃ (א) ' “the”

And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy;

כָּהֲנַיָּ֨א (א) ' “the”וְלֵוָיֵ֜א (א) ' “the”גָלוּתָ֗א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֥א (א) ' “God”