And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, {that} I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. {punish: Heb. visit upon}

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and {put it} also in writing, saying, {made...: Heb. caused a voice to pass}

For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

That saith of Cyrus, {He is} my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: {for} as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say {shall be} desolate without man and without beast, {even} in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and {as for} gold, they shall not delight in it.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing {was} true, but the time appointed {was} long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. {long: Heb. great}

For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all {them} whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which {is} in Jerusalem.

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that {were} near the Ethiopians:

And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he {was} of the king's seed in Edom.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if {they be} the children of men, cursed {be} they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods. {accept: Heb. smell} {abiding: Heb. cleaving}

For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

And God stirred him up {another} adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, {even} them that rejoice in my highness.

Let us hold fast the profession of {our} faith without wavering; (for he {is} faithful that promised;)

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done {it} of a long {time in such sort} as it was written.

And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection {that} Moses the servant of God {laid} upon Israel in the wilderness. {a proclamation: Heb. a voice}

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and {put it} also in writing, saying, {made...: Heb. caused a voice to pass}

That saith of Cyrus, {He is} my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all {them} whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which {is} in Jerusalem.

In the first year of Cyrus the king {the same} Cyrus the king made a decree {concerning} the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, {and} the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts. {direct: or, make straight}

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing {was} true, but the time appointed {was} long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. {long: Heb. great}

And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: {them...: Heb. the remainder from the sword}

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done {it} of a long {time in such sort} as it was written.

Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device {is} against Babylon, to destroy it; because it {is} the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. {bright: Heb. pure}

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.