13
The number of these was: one thousand gold cups, one thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censers, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred ten silver bowls, and one thousand other vessels.
14
All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred sixty-nine,
15
and they were carried back by Sheshbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.
16
In the time of King Artaxerxes of the Persians, Bishlam, Mithridates, Tabeel, Rehum, Beltethmus, the scribe Shimshai, and the rest of their associates, living in Samaria and other places, wrote him the following letter, against those who were living in Judea and Jerusalem:
17
"To King Artaxerxes our lord, your servants the recorder Rehum and the scribe Shimshai and the other members of their council, and the judges in Coelesyria and Phoenicia:
18
Let it now be known to our lord the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem and are building that rebellious and wicked city, repairing its market places and walls and laying the foundations for a temple.
19
Now if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not only refuse to pay tribute but will even resist kings.
20
Since the building of the temple is now going on, we think it best not to neglect such a matter,
21
but to speak to our lord the king, in order that, if it seems good to you, search may be made in the records of your ancestors.
22
You will find in the annals what has been written about them, and will learn that this city was rebellious, troubling both kings and other cities,
23
and that the Jews were rebels and kept setting up blockades in it from of old. That is why this city was laid waste.