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1. When the foundations of the temple were laying, and when the
Jews were very zealous about building it, the neighboring
nations, and especially the Cutheans, whom Shalmanezer, king of
Assyria, had brought out of Persia and Media, and had planted in
Samaria, when he carried the people of Israel captives, besought
the governors, and those that had the care of such affairs, that
they would interrupt the Jews, both in the rebuilding of their
city, and in the building of their temple. Now as these men were
corrupted by them with money, they sold the Cutheans their
interest for rendering this building a slow and a careless work,
for Cyrus, who was busy about other wars, knew nothing of all
this; and it so happened, that when he had led his army against
the Massagetae, he ended his life. But when Cambyses, the son
of Cyrus, had taken the kingdom, the governors in Syria, and
Phoenicia, and in the countries of Amlnon, and Moab, and Samaria,
wrote an epistle to Calnbyses; whose contents were as follow: "To
our lord Cambyses. We thy servants, Rathumus the historiographer,
and Semellius the scribe, and the rest that are thy judges in
Syria and Phoenicia, send greeting. It is fit, O king, that thou
shouldst know that those Jews which were carried to Babylon are
come into our country, and are building that rebellious and
wicked city, and its market-places, and setting up its walls, and
raising up the temple; know therefore, that when these things are
finished, they will not be willing to pay tribute, nor will they
submit to thy commands, but will resist kings, and will choose
rather to rule over others than be ruled over themselves. We
therefore thought it proper to write to thee, O king, while the
works about the temple are going on so fast, and not to overlook
this matter, that thou mayst search into the books of thy
fathers, for thou wilt find in them that the Jews have been
rebels, and enemies to kings, as hath their city been also,
which, for that reason, hath been till now laid waste. We thought
proper also to inform thee of this matter, because thou mayst
otherwise perhaps be ignorant of it, that if this city be once
inhabited and be entirely encompassed with walls, thou wilt be
excluded from thy passage to Celesyria and Phoenicia."
2. When Cambyses had read the epistle, being naturally wicked, he
was irritated at what they told him, and wrote back to them as
follows: "Cambyses the king, to Rathumus the historiographer, to
Beeltethmus, to Semellius the scribe, and the rest that are in
commission, and dwelling in Samaria and Phoenicia, after this
manner: I have read the epistle that was sent from you; and I
gave order that the books of my forefathers should be searched
into, and it is there found that this city hath always been an
enemy to kings, and its inhabitants have raised seditions and
wars. We also are sensible that their kings have been powerful
and tyrannical, and have exacted tribute of Celesyria and
Phoenicia. Wherefore I gave order, that the Jews shall not be
permitted to build that city, lest such mischief as they used to
bring upon kings be greatly augmented." When this epistle was
read, Rathumus, and Semellius the scribe, and their associates,
got suddenly on horseback, and made haste to Jerusalem; they also
brought a great company with them, and forbade the Jews to build
the city and the temple. Accordingly, these works were hindered
from going on till the second year of the reign of Darius, for
nine years more; for Cambyses reigned six years, and within that
time overthrew Egypt, and when he was come back, he died at
Damascus.
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