Deutercanonical Books of the Bible/Apocrypha | Page 7

temple are
now in hand, we think it meet not to neglect such a matter,
1Esdr 2:21 But to speak unto our lord the king, to the intent that, if it be

thy pleasure it may be sought out in the books of thy fathers:
1Esdr 2:22 And thou shalt find in the chronicles what is written
concerning these things, and shalt understand that that city was
rebellious, troubling both kings and cities:
1Esdr 2:23 And that the Jews were rebellious, and raised always wars
therein; for the which cause even this city was made desolate.
1Esdr 2:24 Wherefore now we do declare unto thee, O lord the king,
that if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up anew, thou
shalt from henceforth have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice.
1Esdr 2:25 Then the king wrote back again to Rathumus the storywriter,
to Beeltethmus, to Semellius the scribe, and to the rest that were in
commission, and dwellers in Samaria and Syria and Phenice, after this
manner;
1Esdr 2:26 I have read the epistle which ye have sent unto me:
therefore I commanded to make diligent search, and it hath been found
that that city was from the beginning practising against kings;
1Esdr 2:27 And the men therein were given to rebellion and war: and
that mighty kings and fierce were in Jerusalem, who reigned and
exacted tributes in Celosyria and Phenice.
1Esdr 2:28 Now therefore I have commanded to hinder those men from
building the city, and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it;
1Esdr 2:29 And that those wicked workers proceed no further to the
annoyance of kings,
1Esdr 2:30 Then king Artexerxes his letters being read, Rathumus, and
Semellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them,
removing in haste toward Jerusalem with a troop of horsemen and a
multitude of people in battle array, began to hinder the builders; and the
building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the
reign of Darius king of the Persians.
1Esdr 3:1 Now when Darius reigned, he made a great feast unto all his
subjects, and unto all his household, and unto all the princes of Media
and Persia,
1Esdr 3:2 And to all the governors and captains and lieutenants that
were under him, from India unto Ethiopia, of an hundred twenty and
seven provinces.
1Esdr 3:3 And when they had eaten and drunken, and being satisfied
were gone home, then Darius the king went into his bedchamber, and

slept, and soon after awaked.
1Esdr 3:4 Then three young men, that were of the guard that kept the
king's body, spake one to another;
1Esdr 3:5 Let every one of us speak a sentence: he that shall overcome,
and whose sentence shall seem wiser than the others, unto him shall the
king Darius give great gifts, and great things in token of victory:
1Esdr 3:6 As, to be clothed in purple, to drink in gold, and to sleep
upon gold, and a chariot with bridles of gold, and an headtire of fine
linen, and a chain about his neck:
1Esdr 3:7 And he shall sit next to Darius because of his wisdom, and
shall be called Darius his cousin.
1Esdr 3:8 And then every one wrote his sentence, sealed it, and laid it
under king Darius his pillow;
1Esdr 3:9 And said that, when the king is risen, some will give him the
writings; and of whose side the king and the three princes of Persia
shall judge that his sentence is the wisest, to him shall the victory be
given, as was appointed.
1Esdr 3:10 The first wrote, Wine is the strongest.
1Esdr 3:11 The second wrote, The king is strongest.
1Esdr 3:12 The third wrote, Women are strongest: but above all things
Truth beareth away the victory.
1Esdr 3:13 Now when the king was risen up, they took their writings,
and delivered them unto him, and so he read them:
1Esdr 3:14 And sending forth he called all the princes of Persia and
Media, and the governors, and the captains, and the lieutenants, and the
chief officers;
1Esdr 3:15 And sat him down in the royal seat of judgment; and the
writings were read before them.
1Esdr 3:16 And he said, Call the young men, and they shall declare
their own sentences. So they were called, and came in.
1Esdr 3:17 And he said unto them, Declare unto us your mind
concerning the writings. Then began the first, who had spoken of the
strength of wine;
1Esdr 3:18 And he said thus, O ye men, how exceeding strong is wine!
it causeth all men to err that drink it:
1Esdr 3:19 It maketh the mind of the king and of the fatherless child