Page:KJV 1772 Oxford Edition, vol. 2.djvu/18

Apocrypha. Then stood up Jesus the son of Josedec, and his brethren the priests and Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and his brethren, and made ready the altar of the God of Israel,

To offer burnt sacrifices upon it, according as it is expressly commanded in the book of Moses the man of God.

And there were gathered unto them out of the other nations of the land, and they erected the altar upon his own place, because all the nations of the land were at enmity with them, and oppressed them; and they offered sacrifices according to the time, and burnt offerings to the Lord both morning and evening.

Also they held the feast of tabernacles, as it is commanded in the law, and offered sacrifices daily, as was meet:

And after that, the continual oblations, and the sacrifice of the sabbaths, and of the new moons, and of all holy feasts.

And all they that had made any vow to God began to offer sacrifices to God from the first day of the seventh month, although the temple of the Lord was not yet built.

And they gave unto the masons and carpenters money, meat, and drink, with cheerfulness.

Unto them of Zidon also and Tyre they gave carrs, that they should bring cedar trees from Libanus, which should be brought by floats to the haven of Joppa, according as it was commanded them by Cyrus king of the Persians.

And in the second year and second month after his coming to the temple of God at Jerusalem began Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Jesus the son of Josedec, and their brethren, and the priests, and the Levites, and all they that were come unto Jerusalem out of the captivity:

And they laid the foundation of the house of God in the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come to Jewry and Jerusalem.

And they appointed the Levites from twenty years old over the works of the Lord. Then stood up Jesus, and his sons and brethren, and Cadmiel his brother, and the sons of Madiabun, with the sons of Joda the son of Eliadun, with their sons and brethren, all Levites, with one accord setters forward of the business, labouring to advance the works in the house of God. So the workmen built the temple of the Lord.

And the priests stood arrayed in their vestments with musical instruments and trumpets; and the Levites the sons of Asaph had cymbals,

Singing songs of thanksgiving, and praising the Lord, according as David the king of Israel had ordained.

And they sung with loud voices songs to the praise of the Lord, because his mercy and glory is for ever in all Israel.

And all the people sounded trumpets, and shouted with a loud voice, singing songs of thanksgiving unto the Lord for the rearing up of the house of the Lord.

Also of the priests and Levites, and of the chief of their families, the ancients who had seen the former house came to the building of this with weeping and great crying.

But many with trumpets and joy shouted with loud voice,

Insomuch that the trumpets might not be heard for the weeping of the people: yet the multitude sounded marvellously, so that it was heard afar off.

Wherefore when the enemies of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin heard it, they came to know what that noise of trumpets should mean.

And they perceived that they that were of the captivity did build the temple unto the Lord God of Israel.

So they went to Zorobabel and Jesus, and to the chief of the families, and said unto them, We will build together with you.

For we likewise, as ye, do obey your Lord, and do sacrifice unto him from the days of Azbazareth the king of the Assyrians, who brought us hither.

Then Zorobabel and Jesus and the chief of the families of Israel said unto them, It is not for us and you to build together an house unto the Lord our God.

We ourselves alone will build unto the Lord of Israel, according as Cyrus the king of the Persians hath commanded us.

But the heathen of the land lying heavy upon the inhabitants of Judea, and holding them strait, hindered their building;

And by their secret plots, and popular persuasions and commotions, they hindered the finishing of the building all the time that king Cyrus lived: so they were hindered from building for the space of two years, until the reign of Darius.