their way both him and all those that went with him to build Jerusalem.
He also wrote letters unto the lieutenants in Celosyria, Phenice, and
Libanus, that they should bring cedar wood from Libanus to Jerusalem;
and that they should build the city. Then the families and tribes with
their men-servants and maid-servants and singing men and women, escorted
by a thousand horsemen which Darius sent with them, were brought back to
Jerusalem.

On the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were
come back to Jerusalem, the foundation of the House of God was laid; and
the Temple was finished in the three and twentieth day of the month of
Adar, in the sixth year of Darius, and dedicated with a great feast and
sacrifices.

After these things, when Artaxerxes, the King of the Persians, reigned,
came Esdras of the family of Aaron, the chief priest, from Babylon, and
with him certain priests, Levites, holy singers and ministers of the
Temple unto Jerusalem. He brought commission from the king to look into
the affairs of Judea and Jerusalem, agreeably to that which is in the
Law of the Lord, and gifts of vessels of gold and silver for the use of
the Temple of the Lord.

Then Esdras made proclamation in all Jewry and Jerusalem to all them who
were of the captivity, that they should be gathered together at
Jerusalem. Three days after all the multitude gathered in the broad
court of the Temple, and they gave their hands to put away their heathen
wives and children, and to offer rams to make reconcilement for the
errors they had committed. And Esdras stood up upon a pulpit of wood,
which was made for that purpose, and opened the Law of Moses to the
people.