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[97]
Now Darius, when the Samaritans had written to him, and in their
epistle had accused the Jews, how they fortified the city, and built the
temple more like to a citadel than to a temple; and said, that their doings
were not expedient for the king's affairs; and besides, they showed the
epistle of Cambyses, wherein he forbade them to build the temple: and when
Darius thereby understood that the restoration of Jerusalem was not expedient
for his affairs, and when he had read the epistle that was brought him
from Sisinnes, and those that were with him, he gave order that what concerned
these matters should be sought for among the royal records. Whereupon a
book was found at Ecbatana, in the tower that was in Media, wherein was
written as follows: "Cyrus the king, in the first year of his reign,
commanded that the temple should be built in Jerusalem; and the altar in
height threescore cubits, and its breadth of the same, with three edifices
of polished stone, and one edifice of stone of their own country; and he
ordained that the expenses of it should be paid out of the king's revenue.
He also commanded that the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had pillaged [out
of the temple], and had carried to Babylon, should be restored to the people
of Jerusalem; and that the care of these things should belong to Sanabassar,
the governor and president of Syria and Phoenicia, and his associates,
that they may not meddle with that place, but may permit the servants of
God, the Jews and their rulers, to build the temple. He also ordained that
they should assist them in the work; and that they should pay to the Jews,
out of the tribute of the country where they were governors, on account
of the sacrifices, bulls, and rams, and lambs, and kids of the goats, and
fine flour, and oil, and wine, and all other things that the priests should
suggest to them; and that they should pray for the preservation of the
king, and of the Persians; and that for such as transgressed any of these
orders thus sent to them, he commanded that they should be caught, and
hung upon a cross, and their substance confiscated to the king's use. He
also prayed to God against them, that if any one attempted to hinder the
building of the temple, God would strike him dead, and thereby restrain
his wickedness."
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