Read the Bible

¹ And when the seuenth moneth came, and the childre of Israel were now in their cities, the people came together euen as one man to Hierusalem.² And there stoode vp Iesua the sonne of Ioseder, and his brethren the priestes, and Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel and his brethren, and builded the aulter of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offeringes thereon, as it is written in the law of Moyses the man of God.³ And the aulter set they vpon his sockets: for there was a fearefulnesse among them, because of the people of those countries, therefore they offered burnt offeringes theron vnto the lorde, euen burnt offeringes in the morning and at euening.⁴ And they helde the feast of tabernacles as it is written, and offered burnt sacrifices dayly, according to the number and custome, day by day.⁵ Afterwarde they offered dayly burnt offringes also, and in the new moones, and in al the feast dayes that were consecrated vnto the Lord, and for all them which did of their owne free wyll offer vnto the Lorde.⁶ From the first day of the seuenth moneth, began they to offer burnt sacrifices vnto the Lord: euen when the foundation of the temple of the Lorde was not yet layde.⁷ They gaue money also vnto the masons and carpenters, and meate and drincke, and oyle vnto them of Sidon and of Tyre, to bring the Cedar timber from Libanus by sea vnto Ioppa, according to the graunt that they had of Cyrus the king of Persia.

⁸ In the second yere of their comming vnto the house of God at Hierusalem in the second moneth, began Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and the remnaunt of their brethren, the priestes and Leuites, and all they that were come out of the captiuitie vnto Hierusalem: and appoynted the Leuites from twentie yeres olde and aboue, to see that the worke of the house of the Lorde went forwarde.⁹ And Iesua stoode with his sonnes and brethren, and Cadmiel with his sonnes & the children of Iuda together, to set forwarde the workmen of the house of God, euen the childre of Henadad, with their children, and their brethren the Leuites.¹⁰ And when the builders layed the foundation of the temple of the Lorde, they appoynted the priestes in their araye with trumpettes, and the Leuites the children of Asaph with cymbales, to prayse the Lorde after the maner of Dauid king of Israel.¹¹ And they sang together when they gaue prayse and thankes vnto the lorde, Because he is gracious, and because his mercie endureth for euer vpon Israel: And all the people showted loude in praysing the Lorde, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was layd.¹² Many also of the priestes & Leuites and chiefe fathers, and auncient men which had seene the first house, when the foundation was layde before their eyes, wept with a loude voyce, and many showted aloude with ioy:¹³ So that the people coulde not discerne the ioyfull sounde & gladnesse, from the noyse of the weeping among the people: for the people showted with a loude crye, and the noyse was heard farre of.