²⁶ So Darius^[a] commanded Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia and Sathrabuzanes and their associates and those who were appointed as local rulers in Syria and Phoenicia to keep away from the place and to permit Zerubbabel, the servant of the Lord and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews to build this house of the Lord on its site.^(A)

⁷ they sent him a report in which was written as follows: “To Darius the king, all peace!

¹⁶ They called together all the elders of the town, and all their young men and women ran to the assembly. They set Achior in the midst of all their people, and Uzziah questioned him about what had happened.

² supervised the holy work with very great care, assisting the elders of the Jews and the chief officers of the temple.^(A)

⁹ “King Artaxerxes to Ezra the priest and reader of the law of the Lord, greeting.^(A)