41
He stopped speaking, and all the people cried out, "Great is truth and superior to all!"
42
Then the king said to Zerubbabel, "Ask for whatever you like, even more than what was proposed, and we'll give it to you, for you've been found to be the wisest one. You may sit next to me and be called my confidant."
43
Zerubbabel said to the king, "Remember the promise that you made to rebuild Jerusalem on the day that you became king.
44
You promised to send back all the holy equipment that was taken from Jerusalem, which Cyrus set apart when he promised to destroy Babylon and also promised to send it back there.
45
You also solemnly swore to rebuild the temple, which was burned down by the Edomites when Judea was devastated by the Chaldeans.