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Then Governor Sisinnes, Shethar Bozenai, and the other officials did exactly as the emperor had commanded
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and gave careful supervision to the work on the Temple, helping the Jewish leaders and Temple officials.
3
The workers made good progress with the building of the Temple, encouraged by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.
1
4
The Jews completed the building according to the command of the Lord, the God of Israel, and with the permission of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, emperors of Persia.
5
The Temple was completed on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Darius.
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Then the people of Israel - the priests, the Levites, and all the others who had returned from exile and joined them - carried out all the commands in the Law of Moses.
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For the dedication they offered 100 bulls, 200 sheep, and 400 lambs as sacrifices,
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and 12 goats as offerings for sin, one goat for the leader of each tribe of Israel.
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The priests in their robes and the Levites took their positions, family by family, for the Temple services of the Lord, the God of Israel, according to the instructions contained in the book of Moses. The Temple guards stood at each gate.