s for their
negligence or want of piety herein, for it was not their fault that
the temple was no higher; for they were Cyrus, and Darius the son of
Hystaspes, who determined the measures for its rebuilding; and it hath
been by reason of the subjection of those fathers of ours to them and
to their posterity, and after them to the Macedonians, that they had not
the opportunity to follow the original model of this pious edifice, nor
could raise it to its ancient altitude; but since I am now, by God's
will, your governor, and I have had peace a long time, and have gained
great riches and large revenues, and, what is the principal filing of
all, I am at amity with and well regarded by the Romans, who, if I may
so say, are the rulers of the whole world, I will do my endeavor to
correct that imperfection, which hath arisen from the necessity of our
affairs, and the slavery we have been under formerly, and to make a
thankful return, after the most pious manner, to God, for what blessings
I have received from him, by giving me this kingdom, and that by
rendering his temple as complete as I am able."

2. And this was the speech which Herod made to them; but still this
speech aftrighted many of the people, as being unexpected by them; and
because it seemed incredible, it did not encourage them, but put a
damp upon them, for they were afraid that he would pull down the whole
edifice, and not be able to bring his intentions to perfection for its
rebuilding; and this danger appeared to them to be very great, and the
vastness of the undertaking to be such as could hardly be accomplished.
But while they were in this disposition, the king encouraged them,
and told them he would not pull down their temple till all things were
gotten ready for building it up entirely again. And as he promised them
this beforehand, so he did not break his word with them, but got ready a
thousand waggons, that were to bring stones for the building, and chose
out ten thousand of the most skillful workmen, and bought a thousand
sacerdotal garments for as many of the priests, and had some of them
taught the arts of stone-cutters, and others of carpenters, and then
began to build; but this not till every thing was well prepared for the
work.

3. So Herod took away the old foundations, and laid others, and erected
the temple upon them, being in length a hundred cubits, and in height
twenty additional cubits, which [twenty], upon the sinking of their
foundatio