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.