1 Esdras 2
3 Cyrus gave leave to the Jews to return. 10 He sent the holy vessels. 13 The names of them that returned. 16 Their adversaries did let their building, and teh Kings letters for the same.
IN the first year of the reign of Cyrus King of the Persians, to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias,
The Lord raised up the spirit of Cyrus King of the Persians, and he made proclamation through out all his kingdom, even by express letters,
Saying, Thus saith Cyrus King of the Persians, The Lord of Israel, even the most high Lord, hath made me King over the whole world,
And he has commanded me to build him an House in Jerusalem, which is in Judea.
If there be any therefore of you of his people, let the Lord, even his Lord be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is the Judea and build the House of the Lord of Israel: he is the Lord which dwells in Jerusalem.
All they then that dwell in the places round about, those, I say, that are in his place, let them help him with gold and silver,
With gifts, with horses and cattle, and other things, which shall be brought, according to the vows into the Temple of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem.
Then arose the chief of the families of Judea, and of the tribe of Benjamin, and the Priests and Levites, and all whose mind the Lord has moved to go up, and build an House to the Lord in Jerusalem.
And those that were about them, helped them in all things with silver and gold, horse, and cattle, and with divers vows of many whose minds were stirred up.
Also King Cyrus brought out the holy vessels of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried out of Jerusalem, and had consecrated them in the Temple of his idols.
Now when Cyrus King of the Persians had brought them out, he delivered them to Mithridates his treasurer,
By whom they were given to Abassar the governor of Judea.
Whereof this was the number: a thousand silver cups, basins of silver for the sacrifices, nine and twenty violes, of gold thirty, and of silver two thousand, four hundred and ten, and a thousand other vessels.
So all the vessels of gold and silver, which they carried away, were five thousand, four hundred, threescore and nine.
They were brought by Sanabassar with them of the captivity of Babylon to Jerusalem.
But in the time of Artaxerxes King of the Persians Belemus, and Mithridates, and Tabellius, and Rathumus, and Beeltethmus, and Semellius the secretary, and others which were joined to these, dwelling in Samaria and in other places, wrote unto him this epistle here following against them, that dwelt in Judea and Jerusalem, TO THE KING ARTAXERXES OUR LORD,
Thy servants, Rathumus the writer of things that come to pass, and Semellius the secretary, and the rest of their counsel, and the judges which are in Coelosyria and Phenice.
Be it now therefore known to our Lord the King, that the Jews which came up from you, are come to us into Jerusalem, that rebellious and wicked city, and build the marked places, and make up the walls thereof, and lay the foundations of the Temple.
Therefore if this city be built, and the walls be finished, they will not only not endure to pay tribute, but will also resist Kings.
And because the things, pertaining to the Temple, go forward, we thought it not mete to pass over such a thing,
But to declare it to our lord the King, that if it be thy pleasure, it may be sought out in the books of thy fathers,
And thou shalt find in the Chronicles the writings concerning these things, and shalt know that this city did always rebel, and did trouble both Kings and cities,
And that the Jews are rebellious, raising always wars therein: for the which cause also this city was made desolate.
Now therefore, o lord the King, we declare it, that if this city be built and the walls thereof repaired, you shall have no more passage unto Coelosyria, nor Phenice.
Then the King wrote again to Rathumus, that wrote the things that came to pass, and to Beeltethmus, and to Samellius the secretary, and to the rest of those that were joined with them, and to the dwellers of Samaria, Syria and Phenice, these things that follow.
I have read the epistle, which ye sent to me: therefore I commanded, that it should be sought out, and it was found, that this city has always practiced against Kings,
And that the men thereof were given to rebellion and wars, and how that mighty Kings and fierce have reigned in Jerusalem, which took tribute of Coelosyria and Phenice.
Now therefore I have commanded to forbid these men to build up the city, and that it be taken heed that no more be done,
And that those wicked things, which should molest the King, go not forward.
Then when Rathumus, and Semellius the secretary and the rest, which were joined with them, had read the things, which King Artaxerxes had written, they moved their tents with speed to Jerusalem with horses and men in array,
And began to let them which built, so that the building of the Temple in Jerusalem ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius King of the Persians.
1 Esdras 3
1 The feast of Darius. 16 The three wise sentences.
NOW when Darius reigned, he made a great feast to all his subjects, and to all those of his own house, and to all the princes of Media and Persia,
And to all the governors and captains, and lieutenants that were with him, from India unto Ethiopia of an hundred and seven and twenty provinces.
And when they had eaten and drunk, and they were satisfied, they departed, and King Darius went into his chamber, and slept, til he wakened again.
In the meantime three young men of the guard, keepers of the Kings body, said one to another.
Let every one of us speak a sentence, and he that shall overcome, and whose sentence shall appear wiser then the others, Darius the King shall give him great gifts, and great things in token of victory,
As to wear purple and to drink in gold, and to sleep in gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and an head tyre of fine linen, and a chain about his neck.
And he shall sit next to Darius for his wisdom, and shall be called Darius cousin.
Then every man wrote his sentence and sealed it, and put it under the pillow of King Darius,
And said, when the King rose, they would give him the writing, and whose sentence the King and the three princes of Persia should judge to be wisest, to him should the victory be given, as it was appointed.
One wrote, The wine is strongest.
The other wrote, The King is strongest.
The other wrote, women are strongest, but truth overcometh all things.
And when the King rose, they took the writings and gave them to him, and he read them,
And sent and called all the noble men of Persia and of Media, and the governors and the captains, and lieutenants, and the counsuls,
And sat him down in the counsel, and the writing was read before them.
Then he said, Call the young men, that they may declare their own sentences. So they called them, and they came in.
Then he said unto them, Declare unto us the writings. So the first began, which had spoken of the strength of wine,
And said on this manner, O ye men, how strong is wine! it deceiveth all men that drink it.
It maketh the mind of the King and of the fatherless both one, of the bond man and of the free man, of the poor man and of the rich man.
It turneth also every thought into joy and gladness, so that one remembers no manner of sorrow, nor det. (old english detachment)*
It maketh every heart rich, so that one remembers neither King nor governor, and causes to speak all things by talents.
When men have drunk, they have no mind to love either friends or brethren, and a little after they draw out swords.
But when they are from the wine, they do not remember what they have done.
O ye men, is not wine strongest, which compells to do such things! and he held his peace when he had thus spoken.
*WP4Y
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