(Old Covenants) 2 Chronicles 19:3
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
(Old Covenants) 2 Chronicles 19:4
And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the goodly vessels of the house of the Lord, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.
(Old Covenants) 2 Chronicles 19:5
And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God.
(Old Covenants) 2 Chronicles 19:7
Therefore, he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or virgin, old man or him that stooped for age. ... And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes — all these he brought to Babylon.
(Old Covenants) 2 Chronicles 19:9
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth has the Lord God of Heaven given me.
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Also, Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem and had put them in the house of his gods, even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
Now these are the children of the province that went up out of captivity, of those who had been carried away (whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon) and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, everyone unto his city who came with Zerubbabel: Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah.
They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters, and food, and drink, and oil unto them of Sidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple unto the Lord God of Israel, then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do, and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here. ... But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them, You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God, but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us. ... Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. ... And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort. ... This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king:
Your servants, the men on this side of the river: And at such a time, be it known unto the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof and joined the foundations. ... Be it known now unto the king that if this city is built and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so you shall damage the revenue of the kings. ... Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified to the king that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers; so shall you find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time, for which cause was this city destroyed. ... We certify to the king that if this city is built again and the walls thereof set up, by this means you shall have no portion on this side of the river.
Then sent the king an answer: Unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river: Peace. ... And I commanded, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. ... There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom was paid unto them. ... Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. ... So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
The copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor on this side of the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were on this side of the river sent unto Darius the king.
Unto Darius the king: All peace. ... Be it known unto the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes fast on and prospers in their hands. ... And thus they returned us an answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of Heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago which a great king of Israel built and set up. ... But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. ... Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house which is there at Babylon, whether it be so that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the scrolls where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
In the first year of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid: the height thereof sixty cubits, and the breadth thereof sixty cubits, with three rows of great stones and a row of new timber. ... And let the expenses be given out of the king’s house.
Moreover, I make a decree what you shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. ... And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of Heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail, that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of Heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons. ... And the God that has caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people that shall apply their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem.
Then Tattennai, governor on this side of the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. ... And they built and finished it according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. ... And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
For the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest — this Ezra went up from Babylon. ... And the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him. ... And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the temple servants unto Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. ... And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month which was in the seventh year of the king, for upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him; for Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. ... Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord and of his statutes to Israel:
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of Heaven: Perfect peace. ... And at such a time, I make a decree that all they of the people of Israel and of his priests and Levites in my realm, who are determined of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with you, forasmuch as you are sent of the king and of his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand, and to carry the silver and gold which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel whose habitation is in Jerusalem, and all the silver and gold that you can find in all the province of Babylon with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem, that you may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. ... And whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God which you shall have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.
And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the river, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of Heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily; unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. ... For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?