The king answered with a smile:  “You have the craft of your nation, and understand how to choose the right time and words for your petition.  On my birthday it is difficult for me to refuse my faithful people even one request.  I promise you, therefore, so soon as possible to visit Jerusalem and the land of your fathers.”

“By so doing thou wilt make glad the hearts of thy servants,” answered the priest; “our vines and olives will bear more fruit at thine approach, our gates will lift up their heads to receive thee, and Israel rejoice with shouts to meet his lord doubly blessed if as lord of the building—­”

“Enough, priest, enough!” cried Cambyses.  “Your first petition, I have said it, shall not remain unfulfilled; for I have long desired to visit the wealthy city of Tyre, the golden Sidon, and Jerusalem with its strange superstitions; but were I to give permission for the building now, what would remain for me to grant you in the coming year?”

“Thy servants will no more molest thee by their petitions, if thou grant unto them this one, to finish the temple of the Lord their God,” answered the priest.

“Strange beings, these men of Palestine!” exclaimed Cambyses.  “I have heard it said that ye believe in one God alone, who can be represented by no likeness, and is a spirit.  Think ye then that this omnipresent Being requires a house?  Verily, your great spirit can be but a weak and miserable creature, if he need a covering from the wind and rain, and a shelter from the heat which he himself has created.  If your God be like ours, omnipresent, fall down before him and worship as we do, in every place, and feel certain that everywhere ye will be heard of him!”

“The God of Israel hears his people in every place,” exclaimed the high-priest.  “He heard us when we pined in captivity under the Pharaohs far from our land; he heard us weeping by the rivers of Babylon.  He chose thy father to be the instrument of our deliverance, and will hear my prayer this day and soften thine heart like wise.  O mighty king, grant unto thy servants a common place of sacrifice, whither our twelve tribes may repair, an altar on the steps of which they can pray together, a house in which to keep their holy feasts!  For this permission we will call down the blessing of God upon thine head and his curse upon thine enemies.”

“Grant unto my brethren the permission to build their temple!” added Belteshazzar, who was the richest and most honorable and respected of the Jews yet remaining in Babylon; a man whom Cyrus had treated with much consideration, and of whom he had even taken counsel from time to time.

“Will ye then be peaceable, if I grant your petition?” asked the king.  “My father allowed you to begin the work and granted the means for its completion.  Of one mind, happy and content, ye returned to your native land, but while pursuing your work strife and contention entered among you.  Cyrus was assailed by repeated letters, signed by the chief men of Syria, entreating him to forbid the work, and I also have been lately besought to do the same.  Worship your God when and where ye will, but just because I desire your welfare, I cannot consent to the prosecution of a work which kindles discord among you.”