Whoeverthere is among you of allHis people,may his Godbe with him! Let him goup to Jerusalemwhichis in Judahand rebuildthe houseof the LORD,the Godof Israel;He is the Godwhois in Jerusalem.
When allthe peoplesawit, they fellon their faces;and they said,"The LORD,He is God;the LORD,He is God."
He said,"O LORD,the Godof Israel,thereis noGodlikeYou in heavenaboveor on earthbeneath,keepingcovenantand [showing] lovingkindnessto Your servantswho walkbeforeYou with alltheir heart,
Then Davidsaidto his sonSolomon,"Be strongand courageous,and act;do not fearnorbe dismayed,for the LORDGod,my God,is with you. He will not failyou norforsakeyou untilallthe workfor the serviceof the houseof the LORDis finished.
Everysurvivor,at whateverplacehe may live,let the menof that placesupporthim with silverand gold,with goodsand cattle,togetherwith a freewillofferingfor the houseof Godwhichis in Jerusalem.'"
But Zerubbabeland Jeshuaand the restof the headsof fathers'[households] of Israelsaidto them, "You have nothingin common with us in buildinga houseto our God;but we ourselveswill togetherbuildto the LORDGodof Israel,as KingCyrus,the kingof Persiahas commandedus."
However,in the firstyearof Cyruskingof Babylon,KingCyrusissueda decreeto rebuildthishouseof God.
At that timeTattenai,the governorof [the province] beyondthe River,and Shethar-bozenaiand their colleaguescameto them and spoketo them thus,"Whoissuedyou a decreeto rebuildthistempleand to finishthisstructure?"
"Leavethisworkon the houseof Godalone;let the governorof the Jewsand the eldersof the Jewsrebuildthishouseof Godon its site.
For the LORDhas chosenZion;He has desiredit for His habitation.
That they may knowthat You alone,whose nameis the LORD,Are the MostHighoverallthe earth.
"O LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,who is enthroned[above] the cherubim,You are the God,You alone,of allthe kingdomsof the earth.You have madeheavenand earth.
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
"I am the LORD,and thereis noother;BesidesMe thereis noGod.I will girdyou, though you have not knownMe;
But the LORDis the true God;He is the livingGodand the everlastingKing.At His wraththe earthquakes,And the nationscannotendureHis indignation.
The kingansweredDanieland said,"Surelyyour Godis a Godof godsand a Lordof kingsand a revealerof mysteries,sinceyou have beenableto revealthismystery."
"I makea decreethat in allthe dominionof my kingdommen are to fearand tremblebeforethe Godof Daniel;For He is the livingGodand enduringforever,And His kingdomis one whichwill not be destroyed,And His dominion[will be] forever.
teachingthem to observeallthat I commandedyou; and lo,I amwith you always,evento the endof the age."
"The wordwhichHe sentto the sonsof Israel,preachingpeacethroughJesusChrist(He is Lordof all)--
"Indeedtheir rockis not like our Rock,Even our enemiesthemselves judgethis.
"Have I not commandedyou? Be strongand courageous!Do not trembleor be dismayed,for the LORDyour Godis with you whereveryou go."
