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the WORD of the LORD by
the Mouth of JEREMIAH
might be fulfilled) the LORD
ftirred up the SPIRIT of Cy-
RUS King of Perfia, that he
made a Proclamation through-
out all his Kingdom, and put
it alfo in Writing, faying,
2 Thus faith CYRUS King
of Perfia, The LORD GOD

Ifa. xlv. 13 I have raifed him up in Righteoufnefs, and I will direct all his Ways: he fhall build my City, and he fhall let go my Captives, not for Price nor Reward, faith the LORD of Hofts.

LORD, That after feventy Years be
accomplished at Babylon, I will vifit
you, and perform my good Word
turn to this Place.
towards you, in caufing you to re-

Jer. xxix. 10 For thus faith the

of HEAVEN hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth, and he hath CHARGED me to build him an House at Jerufalem.

3 Who is there among you of all his People? his GoD be with him, and let him go up to Jerufalem, and build the House of the LORD GOD of Ifrael (he is the GoD) which is in Jerufalem.

4 And whofoever remaineth in any Place, let the Men of his Place help him with Silver, and with Gold, and with Goods, and with Beafts, befides the Free-will Offering for the House of God.

5 Then rofe up the chief of the Fathers of Judah, and Benjamin, and the Priefts, and the Levites, with all them whofe SPIRITS GOD had RAISED to go up, to build the Houfe of the LORD.

6 And all they that were about them, ftrengthened their Hands with Veffels of Silver, with Gold, and with precious Things, befides all that was willingly offered.

7 Alfo CYRUS the King brought forth the VESSELS of the House of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerufalem, and had put them in the House of his Gods.

8 Even thofe did Cyrus bring forth by the Hand of Mithreath the Treafurer, and numbered them unto SHESBAZZAR the Prince of Judah.

11 All the Veffels of Gold and of Silver were five thoufand and four hundred.

CHA P. II.

The Number that return of the People, 36 Of the Priests, 40 Of the Levites, 43 Of the Nethinims, 55 Of Solomon's Servants, 62 Of the Priefis which could not how their Pedi

gree. 64 The whole Number of them with their Substance. 68 Their Oblations.

Ver. 1

NOW

WOW these are the Children of the Province, that went up out of the Captivity, of thofe whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerufalem and Judah, every one unto his City.

2 Which came with Zerubbabel, Jefhua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilfhan, Mifpar, Bigvai, Behum, Baanah, the Number of the Men of the People of Ifrael.

64 The whole Congregation together was forty and two thoufand, three hundred and threescore.

65 Befides their Servants, of whom there were feven thousand three hundred thirty and feven: and there were among them two hundred finging Men and finging Women.

68 And fome of the chief of the Fathers when they came to the House of the LORD, offered freely for the House of GOD to fet it up in this Place.

69 They gave after their Ability unto the Treasure of the Work.

CHA P. III.

1 The Altar is fet up. 4 Offerings frequented. 7 Workmen prepared. The Foundation of the Temple laid in great Joy and Mourning.

Ter. 8 IN the fecond Year of their coming unto the House

of GOD at Jerufalem, in the fecond Month, Zerubbabel and Jefhua, appointed the Levites, from twenty Years old, to fet forward the Work of the House of the LORD.

10 And when the Builders laid the Foundation of the Temple of the LORD, they fet the Priests in their Apparel with Trumpeters, and the Levites the Sons of Afaph, with Cymbals to praise the LORD, after the ORDINANCE of DAVID King of Ifrael.

11 And they SUNG together by COURSE, in Praifing and giving Thanks unto the LORD, because he is GOOD, for his MERCY endureth for EVER towards Ifrael, and all the People fhouted with a

Pfal. cxxxvi. 10 O give Thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his Mercy endureth for ever.

great

great Shout, when they praised the LORD, because the Foundation of the Houfe of the LORD was laid.

12 But many of the Priests and Levites, and chief of the Fathers, who were antient Men that had feen the first House, when the Foundation of this House was laid before their Eyes, WEPT with a loud Voice, and many fhouted aloud for Joy.

13 So that the People could not difcern the Noife of the Shout of Joy, from the Noife of the WEEPING of the People: for the People fhouted with a loud Shout, and the Noife was heard afar off.

'Haggai ii. 3 Who is left among you that faw this House in her firft Glory? and how do ye fee it now? rifon of it as nothing. Is it not in your Eyes in Compa

4 Yet now be ftrong, O Zerubbabel, faith the LORD, and be ftrong, Prieft, and be ftrong all ye People of O Joshua Son of Jofedech the High the Land, faith the LORD, and work: (for I am with you, faith the LORD of Hofts.)

6 For thus faith the LORD of Hofts, Yet once it is a little while, and I will fhake the Heavens, and the Earth, and the Sea, and the dry Land.

7 And I will shake all Nations and the Defire of all Nations shall come, and I will fill this Houfe with Glory, faith the LORD of Hofts.

The Silver is mine, and the Gold is mine, faith the LORD of Hofts. 9 The Glory of this latter Houfe fhall be GREATER than of the former, faith the LORD of Hofts: and in this Place will I give Peace, faith the Loan of Hofts.

CHA P. IV.

7 Their Letters to

1 The Building of the Temple hindered. Artaxerxes. 17 His Decree.

CHAP. V.

1 Zerubbabel and Jeshua incited by Haggai

and Zechariah, set

6 Their Letters to

forward the Building of the Temple. 3 Tatnai and Shethar-boznai could not hinder the Jews. Darius against the Jews.

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were the PROPHETS of GOD 8 Go up to the Mountain, and HELPING them. bring Wood, and build the House; and I will take Pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, faith the LORD. Zechariah i. I In the eighth Month, in the fecond Year of Darius, came the Word of the LORD unto Zechariah the Prophet, faying,

12 Then the Angel of the LORD anfwered and faid, O Lord of Hofts, how long wilt thou not have Mercy on Jerufalem, and on the Cities of Judah, against which thou haft had Indignation these threefcore and ten Years?

16 Therefore thus faith the LORD, I am returned to Jerufalem with Mercies: my House shall be built in it, faith the LORD of Hofts, and a Line fhall be ftretched forth upon Jerusalem.

CH A P. VI.

1 Darius advanceth the Building. 13 The Temple is finished. 16 The Feast of the Dedication, 19 And of the Palover.

TH

Ver. 1 THEN Darius the King made a Decree, and Search was made in the House of the Rolls, where the Treasurers were laid up in Babylon.

2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the Province of the Medes, a Roll, and therein was a RECORD thus writ

ten:

3 In the first Year of Cyrus, the King made a DECREE concerning the House of GOD at JERUSALEM: Let the HOUSE be builded, the Place where they offered Sacrifice, and let the Foundation thereof be ftrongly laid, the Height thereof threefcore Cubits, and the Breadth thereof threefcore Cubits.

4 With three, Rows of great Stones, and a Row of new Timber: and let the Expences be given out of the King's House.

5 And also let the golden and filver Veffels of the House of GOD, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the Temple which is at Jerufalem, and brought into Babylon, be restored, and brought again into the Temple which is at Jerufalem, every one to his Place, and place them in the House of GOD.

6 Now therefore Tatnai, Governor beyond the River, Shethar-boznai, and your Companions the Apharfachites, which are beyond the River, be ye far from thence.

7 Let the Work of the Houfe of GoD alone, let the Governor of the Jews build this House of GOD in this Place. 8 Moreover, I make a DECREE, what ye fhall do to the

Elders

Elders of thefe Jews, for the building of this Houfe of GOD, that of the King's Goods, even of the Tribute beyond the River, forthwith Expences be given unto thefe Men, that they be not hindred.

9 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 Oyl, according to the Appointment of the Priefts, which are at Jerufalem, let it be given them Day by Day without fail:

10 That they may offer Sacrifices of fweet Savours unto the GOD of Heaven, and PRAY for the LIFE of the KING, and of his Sons.

11 Alfo I have made a Decree, that whofoever shall alter this Word, let Timber be pulled down from his Houfe, and being fet up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his House be made a Dunghil for this.

12 And the GOD that hath caufed his Name to dwell there, destroy all KINGS, and PEOPLE that fhall put to their Hand, to alter and to deftroy this Houfe of God which is at Jerufalem: I DARIUS have made a DECREE, let it be done with Speed.

13 Then Tatnai, Shethar-boznai, and their Companions, according to that which Darius the King had fent, fo they did speedily.

14 And the Elders of the Jews builded, and they profpered through the Prophefying of Haggai, and Zechariah, and they builded and finifhed it, according to the Commandment of the GOD of Ifrael, and according to the Commandment of Cyrus and Darius, and Artaxerxes King of Perfia.

15 And this Houfe was finifhed on the third Day of the Month Adar, which was in the fixth Year of the Reign of Darius the King.

16 And the Children of Ifrael, the Priests and the Levites, and the Reft of the Children of the Captivity, kept the Dedication of this Houfe of GoD with Joy,

18 And they fet the Priefts in their Divifions, and the Levites in their Courfes, for the Service of GoD, which is at Jerufalem; as it is written in the Book of Mofes.

21 And the Children of Ifrael which were come again out of Captivity, and all fuch as had feparated themfelves unto them from the Filthinefs of the Heathen of the Land, to feek the LORD GOD of Ifrael, did eat,

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