Antiquities Book 11, Chapter 2
How Upon The Death Of Cyrus The Jews Were Hindered In Building Of The Temple By The Cutheans, And The Neighboring Governors; And How Cambyses Entirely Forbade The Jews To Do Any Such Thing.
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. 4 But when Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, had taken the
kingdom, the governors in Syria, and Phoenicia, and in the countries of
Ammon, and Moab, and Samaria, wrote an epistle to Cambyses; 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.
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. 4 But when Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, had taken the
kingdom, the governors in Syria, and Phoenicia, and in the countries of
Ammon, and Moab, and Samaria, wrote an epistle to Cambyses; 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.