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[104]
When Darius had found this book among the records of Cyrus, he wrote
an answer to Sisinnes and his associates, whose contents were these: "King
Darius to Sisinnes the governor, and to Sathrabuzanes, sendeth greeting.
Having found a copy of this epistle among the records of Cyrus, I have
sent it you; and I will that all things be done as is therein written.
Fare ye well." So when Sisinnes, and those that were with him, understood
the intention of the king, they resolved to follow his directions entirely
for the time to come. So they forwarded the sacred works, and assisted
the elders of the Jews, and the princes of the Sanhedrim; and the structure
of the temple was with great diligence brought to a conclusion, by the
prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, according to God's commands, and by
the injunctions of Cyrus and Darius the kings. Now the temple was built
in seven years' time. And in the ninth year of the reign of Darius, on
the twenty-third day of the twelfth month, which is by us called Adar,
but by the Macedonians Dystrus, the priests, and Levites, and the other
multitude of the Israelites, offered sacrifices, as the renovation of their
former prosperity after their captivity, and because they had now the temple
rebuilt, a hundred bulls, two hundred rains, four hundred lambs, and twelve
kids of the goats, according to the number of their tribes, (for so many
are the tribes of the Israelites,) and this last for the sins of every
tribe. The priests also and the Levites set the porters at every gate,
according to the laws of Moses. The Jews also built the cloisters of the
inner temple that were round about the temple itself.
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