Seeing that you are sent by the king, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand;
Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work progresses quickly, and prospers in their hands.
And the God that has caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
Moreover I make a decree what you shall do for the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even from the tribute beyond the river, immediately expenses be given to these men, that they be not hindered.
And has extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
And weighed out to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counselors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:
And those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
The king answered Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret.
And when he came to the den, he cried out with a sorrowful voice to Daniel: and the king spoke and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even to the end.
Take from those of the captivity, even from Heldai, from Tobijah, and from Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;