7
They sent a report to him in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace!
8
Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.
9
Then asked we those elders: thus we said to them, Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
10
We asked their names also, to inform thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
11
And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it.