Daily Text and Bible Reading: Thursday, May 30 [Press play below]

4.1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to Jehovah the God of Israel,
4.2 they immediately approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the paternal houses and said to them: “Let us build along with you; for like you, we worship your God and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
4.3 However, Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the paternal houses of Israel said to them: “You have no share with us in building a house to our God, for we alone will build it to Jehovah the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
4.4 Then the people of the land were continually discouraging the people of Judah and disheartening them from building.
4.5 They hired advisers against them to frustrate their plans all the days of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.
4.6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
4.7 And in the days of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes the king; they translated the letter into Aramaic, writing it with Aramaic characters.
4.8 Rehum the chief government official and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows:
4.9 (It was from Rehum the chief government official and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the secretaries, the people of Erech, the Babylonians, the inhabitants of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
4.10 and the rest of the nations that the great and honorable Asenappar took into exile and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest in the region Beyond the River, and now
4.11 this is a copy of the letter that they sent him.) “To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region Beyond the River: And now
4.12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up here from you to us have arrived at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city, and they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
4.13 Now let it be known to the king that if this city should be rebuilt and its walls finished, they will not give tax, tribute, or toll, and it will result in a loss to the treasuries of the kings.
4.14 Since we eat the salt of the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king’s interests harmed, we have therefore sent to make this known to the king,
4.15 so that there may be an investigation of the book of records of your ancestors. You will find in the book of records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, injurious to kings and provinces, and within it have been those stirring up sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
4.16 We are making known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will have no control of the region Beyond the River.”
4.17 The king sent word to Rehum the chief government official and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues who were dwelling in Samaria and the rest of the region Beyond the River: “Greetings! And now
4.18 the official document that you sent us has been clearly read before me.
4.19 By my order an investigation was made, and it was found that from long ago the city has had uprisings against kings, and rebellions and revolts have taken place there.
4.20 There were powerful kings over Jerusalem who ruled the whole region Beyond the River, and tax, tribute, and toll were paid to them.
4.21 Now issue an order for these men to stop work, so that the city may not be rebuilt until I issue an order.
4.22 Be careful not to neglect acting in this regard, so that the king’s interests are not harmed any further.”
4.23 Now after the copy of the official document of King Artaxerxes had been read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they quickly went to Jerusalem to the Jews and used force to stop them.
4.24 It was then that the work on the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, came to a halt; and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

5.1 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah the grandson of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
5.2 It was then that Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jehozadak started to rebuild the house of God, which was in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them and supported them.
5.3 At that time Tattenai the governor of the region Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and asked them: “Who issued an order to you to build this house and to finish this structure?”
5.4 Then they asked them: “What are the names of the men who are working on this building?”
5.5 But God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report could be sent to Darius and an official document could be sent back concerning this.
5.6 Here is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues, the lesser governors of the region Beyond the River, sent to King Darius;
5.7 they sent the report to him, and this is what they wrote: “To King Darius: “All peace!
5.8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah to the house of the great God, and it is being built with large stones rolled into place, and timbers are being laid in the walls. The work is being eagerly done by the people and is making progress through their efforts.
5.9 Then we questioned their elders, asking them: ‘Who issued an order to you to build this house and to finish this structure?’
5.10 We also asked them their names to inform you, so that we could write the names of the men who are taking the lead.
5.11 “This is the response they gave us: ‘We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.
5.12 However, because our fathers angered the God of the heavens, he gave them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who demolished this house and took the people into exile to Babylon.
5.13 Nevertheless, in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, King Cyrus issued an order to rebuild this house of God.
5.14 Moreover, King Cyrus took out of the temple of Babylon the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the temple of Babylon. They were given to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom Cyrus made governor.
5.15 Cyrus said to him: “Take these vessels. Go, deposit them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its former place.”
5.16 Then this Sheshbazzar came, and he laid the foundations of the house of God, which is in Jerusalem; and it has been under construction from then until now, but it has not been completed.’
5.17 “Now if it seems good to the king, let an investigation be made in the royal treasury there in Babylon, to determine whether King Cyrus issued an order to rebuild that house of God in Jerusalem; and let the decision of the king concerning this be sent to us.”

6.1 It was then that King Darius issued an order, and they made an investigation in the archives where the treasures were deposited in Babylon.
6.2 And a scroll was found in the citadel at Ecbatana, in the province of Media, and the following memorandum was written on it:
6.3 “In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued an order concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: ‘Let the house be rebuilt as the place where they are to offer sacrifices, and its foundations are to be set in place; its height is to be 60 cubits, its width 60 cubits,
6.4 with three layers of large stones rolled into place and one layer of timbers; and let the expense be paid from the king’s house.
6.5 Also, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon be returned, so that they may be put in their place in the temple in Jerusalem and be deposited in the house of God.’
6.6 “So now Tattenai the governor of the region Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues, the lesser governors of the region Beyond the River—stay away from there.
6.7 Do not interfere with the work on that house of God. The governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews will rebuild that house of God in its former place.
6.8 Furthermore, I am issuing an order as to what you are to do for these elders of the Jews for rebuilding that house of God: From the royal treasury, from the tax collected in the region Beyond the River, the expenses are to be promptly given to these men to continue without interruption.
6.9 And whatever is needed—young bulls as well as rams and lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, just as the priests who are in Jerusalem say—is to be given them continually day by day without fail,
6.10 so that they may continually present offerings that please the God of the heavens and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
6.11 I have also issued an order that if anyone violates this decree, a timber will be pulled out of his house and he will be lifted up and fastened to it, and his house will be turned into a public latrine for this offense.
6.12 And may the God who has caused his name to reside there overthrow any king and people who lift a hand to violate this order and destroy that house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, issue this order. Let it be done promptly.”
6.13 Then Tattenai the governor of the region Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues promptly carried out everything that King Darius had ordered.
6.14 And the elders of the Jews continued building and making progress, urged on by the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the grandson of Iddo; they finished building it by the order of the God of Israel and by the order of Cyrus and Darius and King Artaxerxes of Persia.
6.15 They completed the house by the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
6.16 Then the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the former exiles held the inauguration of this house of God with joy.
6.17 And they presented for the inauguration of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.
6.18 And they appointed the priests in their groups and the Levites in their divisions for the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.
6.19 And the former exiles held the Passover on the 14th day of the first month.
6.20 The priests and the Levites, without exception, had cleansed themselves, so they were all clean; they slaughtered the Passover sacrifice for all the former exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.
6.21 Then the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate of it, along with everyone who had joined them and had separated himself from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to worship Jehovah the God of Israel.
6.22 They also joyfully held the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days, for Jehovah caused them to rejoice and he had made the heart of the king of Assyria favorable toward them, so that he supported them in the work of the house of the true God, the God of Israel.

7.1 After these things, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra returned. He was the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah,
7.2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub,
7.3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth,
7.4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki,
7.5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest.
7.6 This Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a copyist who was well-versed in the Law of Moses, which Jehovah the God of Israel had given. The king granted everything he requested, for the hand of Jehovah his God was upon him.
7.7 Some of the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.
7.8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, in the seventh year of the king.
7.9 On the first day of the first month, he began the journey from Babylon, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the good hand of his God was upon him.
7.10 Ezra had prepared his heart to consult the Law of Jehovah and to practice it, and to teach its regulations and judgments in Israel.
7.11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and copyist, an expert in the study of the commandments of Jehovah and of his regulations to Israel:
7.12 “Artaxerxes, the king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the copyist of the Law of the God of the heavens: May you have perfect peace. And now
7.13 I have issued an order that everyone in my realm of the people of Israel and their priests and Levites who is willing to go with you to Jerusalem should go.
7.14 For you are sent by the king and his seven advisers to investigate whether the Law of your God, which is with you, is being applied in Judah and Jerusalem,
7.15 and to take the silver and the gold that the king and his advisers have voluntarily given to the God of Israel, whose residence is in Jerusalem,
7.16 with all the silver and the gold that you receive in all the province of Babylon, along with the gift that the people and the priests voluntarily give to the house of their God, which is in Jerusalem.
7.17 And you are to buy promptly with this money bulls, rams, lambs, along with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you are to present them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem.
7.18 “And whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do, you may do with the rest of the silver and the gold, according to the will of your God.
7.19 And all the vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, you are to deliver before God at Jerusalem.
7.20 And the rest of the necessities of the house of your God that you are required to give, you will give out of the royal treasury.
7.21 “I, King Artaxerxes, have issued an order to all the treasurers in the region Beyond the River, that everything that Ezra the priest, the copyist of the Law of the God of the heavens, requests of you is to be done promptly,
7.22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cor measures of wheat, 100 bath measures of wine, 100 bath measures of oil, and salt without limit.
7.23 Let everything that is ordered by the God of the heavens be done with zeal for the house of the God of the heavens, so that there may be no wrath against the king’s realm and his sons.
7.24 And you are further advised that it is not permitted to impose any tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests and Levites, musicians, doorkeepers, temple servants, and workers of this house of God.
7.25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom that you possess from your God, appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people in the region Beyond the River, all those who know the laws of your God; and you should instruct anyone who does not know them.
7.26 And everyone who does not observe the Law of your God and the law of the king should have judgment executed on him promptly, whether it is death, banishment, a fine, or imprisonment.”
7.27 May Jehovah the God of our forefathers be praised, who put it into the heart of the king to beautify the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem!
7.28 And he has shown me loyal love before the king and his advisers and all the mighty princes of the king. So I took courage because the hand of Jehovah my God was upon me, and I gathered out of Israel leading men to go up with me.