Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy Elah which is in thine hand;
Who is there among you of all his people? his Elohim be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh Elohim of Israel, he is the Elohim, which is in Jerusalem.
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great Elah, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
And the Elah that hath 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 Elah which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of Elah: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of Yahweh my Elah was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our Elah, which the king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered:
And the next unto him was 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 unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your Elah is an Elah of elah, and a Sovereign of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living Elohim, is thy Elohim, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?
I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the Elohim of Daniel: for he is the living Elohim, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;