8 and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of ^gthe fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, ^hfor the good hand of my God was upon me.

18 And I told them ^vof the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” ^wSo they strengthened their hands for the good work.

15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration¹ forty shekels² of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, ^wbecause of the fear of God.