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11 (A) They praised the Lord and gave thanks as they took turns singing:

“The Lord is good!
His faithful love for Israel
    will last forever.”

Everyone started shouting and praising the Lord because work on the foundation of the temple had begun. 12 (B) Many of the older priests and Levites and the heads of families wept bitterly because they remembered seeing the first temple years before. But others were so happy that they celebrated with joyful shouts. 13 Their shouting and crying were so noisy that it all sounded alike and could be heard a long way off.

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11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

“He is good;
    his love toward Israel endures forever.”(A)

And all the people gave a great shout(B) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation(C) of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,(D) wept(E) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy(F) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

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