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3 And when the seventh month was come, and the Bnei Yisroel were in the towns, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Yerushalayim.
2 Then stood up Yeshua ben Yehotzadak [T.N. This man is the prophetic namesake of the coming Moshiach—see Zech 6:11-12], and his brethren the kohanim, and Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and his brethren, and built the Mizbe’ach Elohei Yisroel, to offer olot (burnt offerings) thereon, as it is written in the Torat Moshe Ish HaElohim.
3 And they set the Mizbe’ach upon its bases; despite their fear upon them because of the people of those lands, they offered olot (burnt offerings) thereon unto Hashem, even olot boker and erev.
4 They kept also the Chag HaSukkot, as it is written, and offered the daily olah by number, according to the mishpat, as the duty of every yom required;
5 And afterward offered the olat tamid, both of the chodeshim, and of all the Mo’adim of Hashem that were set apart as kodesh, and of every one that willingly offered a nedavah (freewill offering) unto Hashem.
6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer olot (burnt offerings) unto Hashem. But the Yesod (Foundation) of the Heikhal Hashem was not yet laid.
7 They gave kesef also unto the chotzvim (masons, stonecutters), and to the charashim (craftsmen, carpenters); and food, and mishteh (drink), and shemen (oil), unto them of Tzidon, and to them of Tzor, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea and on to Yafo, according to the rishyon (authorization, grant) that they had of Koresh Melech Paras (Persia).
8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the Beis HaElohim at Yerushalayim, in the second month, began Zerubavel ben Sh’altiel, and Yeshua ben Yehotzadak, and the she’ar (remnant) of their brethren the kohanim and the Levi’im, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Yerushalayim; and appointed the Levi’im, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the melechet Beis Hashem (work of the construction of the Beis Hamikdash).
9 Then stood Yeshua with his banim and his brethren, Kadmiel and his banim, the Bnei Yehudah, together, to set forward the workmen in the Beis HaElohim; the Bnei Chenadad, with their banim and their brethren the Levi’im.
10 And when the Bonim (Builders) laid the foundation of the Heikhal Hashem, they set the kohanim in their robes with trumpets, and the Levi’im the Bnei Asaph with cymbals, to praise Hashem according to the instructions of Dovid Melech Yisroel.
11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto Hashem because He is good, for His chesed endureth forever toward Yisroel. And kol haAm shouted with a great shout, when they praised Hashem, because the foundation of the Beis Hashem was laid.
12 But many of the kohanim and Levi’im and chief of the avot, who were zekenim (ancient men), that had seen the Beis HaRishon (Beis HaMikdash of Shlomo), when the foundation of this Beis [Hamikdash] was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice, and many shouted aloud for simchah;
13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of simchah from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
4 Now when the adversaries [i.e., the enemies, the Samaritans] of Yehudah and Binyamin heard that the Banim of the Golus were the Bonim (Builders) of the Heikhal for Hashem Elohei Yisroel,
2 Then they came to Zerubavel, and to the chief of the avot, and said unto them, Let us build with you, for we seek Eloheichem, as ye do, and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days Esar-Hadon Melech Assur (Assyria), which brought us here [see Melachim Bais 19:37; also 17:33].
3 But Zerubavel, and Yeshua, and the rest of the chief of the avot of Yisroel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a Beis [Hamikdash] unto Eloheinu; but we alone will build unto Hashem Elohei Yisroel, as HaMelech Koresh (Cyrus) Melech Paras (Persia) hath commanded us.
4 Then the Am HaAretz weakened the hands of the Am Yehudah, and troubled them from building,
5 And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their etza (plan), all the days of Koresh (Cyrus) Melech Paras (Persia), even until the reign of Daryavesh (Darius) Melech Paras (Persia).
6 And in the reign of Achashverosh [Xerxes I 486-465 B.C.E., the husband of Queen Esther], in the beginning of his reign, they wrote unto him a sitnah (accusation, related to the word Satan, Accuser) against the inhabitants of Yehudah and Yerushalayim.
7 Then, in the days of Artachshasta [Artaxerxes I 465-424 B.C.E.], it was Bishlam, Mitredat, Tavel, and the rest of their companions, who wrote unto Artachshasta Melech Paras (Persia); and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic script, and set forth in Aramaic.
8 Rechum the high commissioner and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Yerushalayim to Melech Artachshasta as follows;
9 Then wrote Rechum the high commissioner, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the judges, the officials, the Tarplim, the Apharsim, the Arkvim, the Babylonians, and those of Shushan, that is, the Elma’im,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapar deported, and settled in the city of Shomron (Samaria), and elsewhere in Beyond-the-River [Euphrates] wrote; and now
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artachshasta HaMelech; From thy avadim, the men Beyondthe-River [Euphrates]; and now
12 May it be known unto the Melech, that the Yehudim which came up from thee to us are come unto Yerushalayim, building the rebellious and the wicked city, and finishing its walls, and repairing the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the Melech, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay tax, tribute, or duty, and so thou shalt damage the royal revenues.
14 Now because we have covenant maintenance ("share the King’s salt") from the palace, and it was not proper for us to see the dishonor of the Melech, therefore we have sent and informed the Melech
15 That search may be made in the sefer of the archives of thy avot; so shalt thou find in the sefer of the archives, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto melachim and provinces, a place of sedition from ancient times, for which cause was this city destroyed.
16 We inform the Melech that, if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no possession in the province Beyond-the-River [Euphrates].
17 Then the Melech sent an answer: Unto Rechum the high commissioner, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Shomron (Samaria), and unto the rest Beyond-the River [Euphrates], Shalom, and now
18 The nish’tevan (official document) which ye sent unto us hath been fully read before me;
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city for a long time hath made insurrection against melachim, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty melachim also over Yerushalayim, which have ruled over all territory Beyondthe-River [Euphrates], to whom tax, tribute, and duty were paid.
21 Give ye now ta’am (command) to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another ta’am shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this; lamah (why) should damage grow to the hurt of the Melech?
23 Now when the copy of letter of Melech Artachshasta was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Yerushalayim unto the Yehudim, and made them to cease by force and compulsion.
6 But we do speak chochmah (wisdom) to the man who is mevugar (mature, grown up), to those with mature ruchaniyut (spirituality in Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach), yet, it is a chochmah (wisdom) not of the Olam Hazeh, neither of the rulers of the Olam Hazeh (Ro 13:3), the ones being brought to naught (1:28). [TEHILLIM 146:4]
7 But we speak the chochmah of Hashem in a hidden sod (mystery 2:1), which was nigzar merosh (determined from the beginning, preordained, predestined, decided beforehand) by Hashem lifnei yemei haOlam (before the days of eternity) for our kavod (glory, Ro 8:29-30);
8 A chochmah which not one of the rulers of the Olam Hazeh has known, for, if they had had da’as, they would not have made talui al HaEtz HaKelalat Hashem (being hanged on the Tree of the Curse of G-d- Dt 21:23) the [Moshiach] Adon HaKavod. [Ps 24:7]
9 But even as it has been written, “Things which no eye has seen and LO SHAMU (“they had not heard”) nor did it come up into the heart of Bnei Adam, the things G-d prepared for the ones who have ahavah for him.” Isa 64:3[4] TARGUM HASHIVIM; Isa 52:15
10 But Hashem has made the hitgalut haSod (the revelation of the mystery) to us of these things through the Ruach Hakodesh; for the Ruach Hakodesh searches all things, even the deep things of G-d.
11 For who of Bnei Adam has da’as of the things of Bnei Adam except the ruach of a man in him? So also the things of G-d no one has known except the Ruach Hashem. [Jer 17:9; Prov 20:27]
12 Now we have not received the ruach of the Olam Hazeh but the Ruach Hakodesh from Hashem, that we may have da’as of the things having been freely given to us by Hashem,
13 Which things also we speak, not in dvarim (words) taught by chochmah haBnei Adam, but in dvarim taught by the Ruach Hakodesh, making midrash [exposition, interpretation] of the things of the Ruach Hakodesh [2:12] by means of the words of the Ruach Hakodesh.
14 But a natural person does not receive the things of the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem, for they are narrishkait (foolishness 1:21-24) to him, and he is not able to have personal saving da’as of them, because they are discerned in the Ruach Hakodesh.
15 Now the man of the Ruach Hakodesh discerns all things, but, by no one is he discerned.
16 For, "Who has known the mind of Hashem so as to instruct Him" [Isa 40:13 TARGUM HASHIVIM]? But we have the mind of Moshiach. [YESHAYAH 40:13]
3 Achim b’Moshiach, I was not able to speak to you as to men of hitkhadshut and ruchaniyut; I had to speak to you as bnei basar, as olalim b’Moshiach.
2 Cholov I gave you to drink, not solid okhel (food), for you were not yet able to receive it, but neither yet are you able now.
3 For still you are bnei basar (carnally-minded believers). For als (since) there is still kinah and merivah (strife) among you [1:11], are you not bnei basar, by the standards of Bnei Adam?
4 For, whenever anyone says, "I am of Sha’ul," but another, "I am of Apollos," are you not as anshei shechichim (ordinary men)?
28 (Of Dovid) Unto Thee will I cry, Hashem my Tzur; do not turn a deaf ear to me: lest, if Thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
2 Shema (hear) kol (voice) of my supplications, when I cry unto Thee, when I lift up my hands toward Thy Devir Kodesh (Innermost Sanctuary, Kodesh HaKodashim).
3 Draw me not away with the resha’im, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak shalom to their neighbors, but malice is in their hearts.
4 Give to them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them after the work of their hands; render to them their gemul (deserts).
5 Because they regard not the Pe’ulot Hashem, nor the Ma’aseh of His hands, He shall tear them down, and not build them up.
6 Baruch Hashem, because He hath heard the kol (voice) of my supplications.
7 Hashem is my strength and my mogen; my lev trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my lev greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I thank Him.
8 Hashem is their oz (strength), and He is the Ma’oz Yeshu’ot (saving refuge) of His Moshiach.
9 Save Thy people, and bless Thine nachalah; shepherd them also, and carry them ad olam.
24 The steps of a gever are from Hashem; how can an adam then understand his own derech (way, life’s course)?
25 It is a mokesh adam to devote rashly as kodesh, and after nedarim (vows) to reconsider his consecration.
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