¹⁷ Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives^(A) of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the archives^(A) of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.^(B)

Memorandum:

³ In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:

Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid.^(B) It is to be sixty cubits^[a] high and sixty cubits wide, ⁴ with three courses^(C) of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.^{(D) 5} Also, the gold^(E) and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.^(F)

¹⁹ I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt^(A) against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.