that you order a search to be made in the records your ancestors kept. If you do, you will discover that this city has always been rebellious and that from ancient times it has given trouble to kings and to rulers of provinces. Its people have always been hard to govern. This is why the city was destroyed.

"Now, if it please Your Majesty, have a search made in the royal records in Babylon to find whether or not Emperor Cyrus gave orders for this Temple in Jerusalem to be rebuilt, and then inform us what your will is in this matter."

So Emperor Darius issued orders for a search to be made in the royal records that were kept in Babylon.

But it was in the city of Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found, containing the following record:

If you hear such a rumor, investigate it thoroughly; and if it is true that this evil thing did happen,

We honor God for what he conceals; we honor kings for what they explain.

So the LORD was with him, and he was successful in everything he did. He rebelled against the emperor of Assyria and refused to submit to him.

The LORD became so angry with the people of Jerusalem and Judah that he banished them from his sight.

He took one of the king's family, made a treaty with him, and made him swear to be loyal. He took important men as hostages

But the king of Judah rebelled and sent agents to Egypt to get horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Can he get away with that? He cannot break the treaty and go unpunished!

Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people.

The Sovereign LORD says, "As surely as I am the living God, I will punish him for breaking the treaty which he swore in my name to keep.