At that time H2166 Tattenai H8674, the governor H6347 of the province beyond H5675 the [fn]River H5103, and Shethar-bozenai H8370 and their colleagues H3675 came H858 to them and spoke H560 to them thus H3652, “Who H4479 issued H7761 you a decree H2942 to rebuild H1124 this H1836 house H1005 and to complete H3635 this H1836 structure H846?”
This is the copy H6573 of the letter H104 which H1768 Tattenai H8674, the governor H6347 of the province beyond H5675 the River H5103, and Shethar-bozenai H8370 and his colleagues H3675 the officials H671, who H1768 were beyond H5675 the River H5103, sent H7972 to Darius H1868 the king H4430.
“Let it be H3046 known H3046 to the king H4430 that we have gone H236 to the province H4083 of Judah H3061, to the house H1005 of the great H7229 God H426, and it H1932 is being built H1124 with huge H1560 stones H69, and timber H636 is being put H7761 within the walls H3797; and that H1791 work H5673 is going H5648 on with all H629 diligence H629 and is succeeding H6744 in their hands H3028.
“Thus H3660 they responded H8421 with a word H6600 to us, saying H560,
‘We are the servants H5649 of the God H426 of heaven H8065 and earth H772, and are rebuilding H1124 the house H1005 that was built H1124 many H7690 years H8140 ago H6928, which a great H7229 king H4430 of Israel H3479 built H1124 and completed H3635.
‘But because H4481 H1768 our fathers H2 had provoked H7265 the God H426 of heaven H8065 to H7265 wrath H7265, He gave H3052 them into the hand H3028 of Nebuchadnezzar H5020 king H4430 of Babylon H895, the Chaldean H3779, who destroyed H5642 this H1836 house H1005 and took H1541 the people H5972 away H1541 into exile H5972 in Babylon H895.
‘Also H638 the gold H1722 and silver H3702 utensils H3984 of the house H1005 of God H426, which H1768 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 had taken H5312 from the temple H1965 [fn]in Jerusalem H3390 and brought H2987 them to the temple H1965 of Babylon H895, these H1994 King H4430 Cyrus H3567 took H5312 out H5312 from the temple H1965 of Babylon H895, and they were given H3052 to one whose name H8036 was Sheshbazzar H8340, whom H1768 he had appointed H7761 governor H6347.
“So now H3705 if H2006 it seems H2869 good H2869 to the king H4430, let a search H1240 be made H1240 in the king’s H4430 treasure H1596 house H1005, which H1768 is there H8536 in Babylon H895, if H2006 it be that a decree H2942 was issued H7761 by King H4430 Cyrus H3567 to rebuild H1124 that H1791 house H1005 of God H426 in Jerusalem H3390; and let the king H4430 send H7972 to us his will H7470 concerning H5922 this H1836 matter.”
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