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But the Lord was with the people who had returned from exile and was watching over the Jewish leaders,
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and they were allowed to continue building until Emperor Darius could be informed and his reply received.
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Here is the report that the Persian officials sent to the emperor:
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"To Emperor Darius, greetings. "Your Majesty should know that we went to Judah and to Jerusalem and there we found the leaders of the Jews who have returned from exile
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building a large new Temple for the Lord with expensive, shaped stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the walls.
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The work is being done rapidly and is moving ahead steadily; yet they are taking great care and doing their work beautifully.
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"We then asked the leaders of the people to tell us who had given them orders to rebuild the Temple and lay the foundations for the buildings.
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We also asked them who their leaders were and demanded a list of their names, so that we could inform you.
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"They answered, "We are servants of the Lord who created heaven and earth.
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This Temple was built and equipped many years ago by a very powerful king of Israel.
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But because our ancestors sinned against Israel's Lord in heaven and made him angry, he let them be conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia, a king of the Chaldean dynasty.
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