²¹ Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you— ²² up to a hundred talents^[a] of silver, a hundred cors^[b] of wheat, a hundred baths^[c] of wine, a hundred baths^[d] of olive oil, and salt without limit. ²³ Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons?^{(A) 24} You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty^(B) on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God.^(C)

To King Darius:

Cordial greetings.

⁸ The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work^(A) is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

⁹ We questioned the elders and asked them, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”^{(B) 10} We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

¹¹ This is the answer they gave us:

“We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple^(C) that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹² But because our ancestors angered^(D) the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.^(E)

¹³ “However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree^(F) to rebuild this house of God. ¹⁴ He even removed from the temple^[a] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple^[b] in Babylon.^(G) Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar,^(H) whom he had appointed governor, ¹⁵ and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’

¹⁶ “So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God^(I) in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.”

¹⁷ Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives^(J) 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.

⁹ Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates^(C)—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk^(D) and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,^{(E) 10} and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal^(F) deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.^(G)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

¹² The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.^(H)

¹³ Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty^(I) will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.^{[c] 14} Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, ¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the archives^(J) 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.^{(K) 16} We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:^(L)

Greetings.

¹⁸ The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. ¹⁹ I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt^(M) against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. ²⁰ Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates,^(N) and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. ²¹ Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²² Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?^(O)