Ezra 5Previous Chapter | Next ChapterRebuilding Efforts Begin Again1At that time, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied specifically to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.2So Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak restarted construction of the temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were there supporting them. Government Interference3Right about then, Trans-EuphratesLit. Beyond the RiverGovernor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, “Who authorized you to build this temple and to reconstruct this wall?”4In answer, we responded with a list ofLit. responded thus: “What arethe names of the men who were building the structure.5But God watched over the Jewish leaders, who could not be forced to stop working until Darius received a report and responded in reply. A Memorandum6Here is a copy of the letter that Trans-EuphratesLit. Beyond the RiverGovernor Tattenai, Shethar-boznai, and his colleagues the Trans-Euphrates Persians sent to King Darius.7The letter sent to him was written like this: To: King Darius: Greetings!Lit. All peace!8This is to informLit. Let it be known tothe king that we traveled to the temple of the great God in the Judean province, which is being built with large stones and reinforced with wooden beams in its walls. The work proceeds diligently and is in capable hands.Lit. and prospers in their hands9We asked the elders, “Who authorized you to build this temple and to reinforce these walls?”10We also asked them their names so that we could certify the identitiesLit. could write the namesof their leaders to you.11In answer they responded, “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago by a great king of Israel.12But because our predecessors provoked the God of Heaven to become angry, he handed them over to the controlLit. handof King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and transported the people to Babylon.13However, during King Cyrus’ first year—that same King Cyrus of Babylon—issued a decree to reconstruct this temple of God.14He delivered into the care of Sheshbazzar (whom he appointed governor) the gold and silver utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem temple and brought into the Babylonian temple.15“And CyrusLit. hetold him, ‘Take these utensils, go to Jerusalem, and carry them to the temple, after the temple of God has been builtLit. temple, and let the temple of God be builtin its appropriate place.’16“Then this very same Sheshbazzar arrived and laid the foundations for the temple of God in Jerusalem. Since that time until now the temple has been under construction and is not yet completed.”17Accordingly, with your approval we suggest thatLit. Accordingly, if it seems good to the king, leta search be conducted within the king’s treasury at Babylon to verifyThe Aram. lacks to verifywhether or not King Cyrus ever issued such a decree to reconstruct this temple of God in Jerusalem. Then please notify us concerning the king’s pleasure in this matter.
Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, “Who authorized you to build this temple and to reconstruct this wall?”4In answer, we responded with a list of
