, when the Samaritans had written to him, and in their
epistle had accused the Jews, how they fortified the city, and built
the temple more like to a citadel than to a temple; and said, that their
doings were not expedient for the king's affairs; and besides, they
showed the epistle of Cambyses, wherein he forbade them to build the
temple: and when Darius thereby understood that the restoration of
Jerusalem was not expedient for his affairs, and when he had read the
epistle that was brought him from Sisinnes, and those that were with
him, he gave order that what concerned these matters should be sought
for among the royal records. Whereupon a book was found at Ecbatana, in
the tower that was in Media, wherein was written as follows: "Cyrus the
king, in the first year of his reign, commanded that the temple should
be built in Jerusalem; and the altar in height threescore cubits, and
its breadth of the same, with three edifices of polished stone, and one
edifice of stone of their own country; and he ordained that the expenses
of it should be paid out of the king's revenue. He also commanded that
the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had pillaged [out of the temple], and
had carried to Babylon, should be restored to the people of Jerusalem;
and that the care of these things should belong to Sanabassar, the
governor and president of Syria and Phoenicia, and his associates, that
they may not meddle with that place, but may permit the servants of God,
the Jews and their rulers, to build the temple. He also ordained that
they should assist them in the work; and that they should pay to the
Jews, out of the tribute of the country where they were governors, on
account of the sacrifices, bulls, and rams, and lambs, and kids of the
goats, and fine flour, and oil, and wine, and all other things that
the priests should suggest to them; and that they should pray for the
preservation of the king, and of the Persians; and that for such as
transgressed any of these orders thus sent to them, he commanded that
they should be caught, and hung upon a cross, and their substance
confiscated to the king's use. He also prayed to God against them, that
if any one attempted to hinder the building of the temple, God would
strike him dead, and thereby restrain his wickedness."

7. When Darius had found this book among the records of Cyrus, he wrote
an answer to Sisinnes and his associates, whose contents were these:
"King Darius to Sisinnes the governor,