5
Nevertheless the elders of the Jews obtained favor, because the Lord had visited the captives;
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and they were not hindered from building until such time as signification was given unto Darius concerning them and an answer received.
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The copy of the letters which Tattenai, governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Shethar-boznai, with their companions, rulers in Syria and Phoenicia, wrote and sent unto Darius: "To King Darius, greetings.
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Let all things be known unto our lord the king that, having come into the country of Judea and entered into the city of Jerusalem, we found in the city of Jerusalem the elders of the Jews who were of the captivity
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building a house unto the Lord, great and new, of hewn and costly stones and the timber already laid upon the walls.
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And those works are done with great speed, and the work goeth on prosperously in their hands, and with all glory and diligence is it made.
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Then asked we these elders, saying, `By whose commandment build ye this house and lay the foundations of these works?'
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Therefore, to the intent that we might give knowledge unto thee by writing, we demanded of those who were the chief doers and we required of them the names in writing of their principal men.
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So they gave us this answer: `We are the servants of the Lord who made heaven and earth.
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And as for this house, it was built many years ago by a king of Israel great and strong, and was finished.
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But when our fathers provoked God unto wrath, and sinned against the Lord of Israel who is in heaven, He gave them over into the power of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, of the Chaldeans,Œ