Ezr 5 | ABEn | STEP | And [ 4 prophesied 1 Haggai 2 the 3 prophet], and Zechariah the son of Iddo, a prophecy over the Jews, of the ones in Judah and in Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, over them.

‏ Ezra 5

CHAPTER 5 Construction Renewed under Darius King of Persia

1 And [⁴prophesied ¹Haggai ²the ³prophet], and Zechariah the son of Iddo, a prophecy over the Jews, of the ones in Judah and in Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, over them. 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and they began to build the house of God, the one in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God to help them. 3 At that same time there came upon them Tatnai chief ruler on the other side of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their fellow-servants, and of such he said to them, Who ordained to you a decree to build this house, and [²this expense ¹to ready]? 4 Then they said to them, What are the names of the men building this city? 5 But the eyes of God became upon the captivity of Judah, and they did not cause them to cease work until the decree was carried to Darius. And then it was given to the tribute-gatherer concerning this. 6 The explanation by letter which was sent by Tatnai the chief ruler on the other side of the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their fellow-servants -- Apharsachites, the ones on the other side of the river, to Darius the king.

The Letter of Opposition of Construction

7 [²a word ¹They sent] to him, and thus was written in it, To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Let it be known to the king! that we went into Judea, the place for the house of the great God, and it is being built with the [²stones ¹choice]; and timber is inserted in the walls, and that work is fittingly done, and the way is prospering in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders, and thus we said to them, Who rendered to you a decree [²this house ¹to build], and the bestowing of this expense to ready it? 10 And [³their names ¹we asked ²of them], to make known to you, so as to write to you the names of the men of their rulers. 11 And such a word they answered to us, saying to us, We are menservants of the God of the heaven and of the earth, and we are building the house which was built [³before ⁴this ²years ¹many], and [²king ³of Israel ¹a great] built it, and readied it for them. 12 [²from ³when ¹But ⁵provoked to anger ⁴our fathers] the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and this house he caused to rest, and the people he resettled in Babylon. 13 But in [²year ¹the first] of Cyrus the king of the Babylonians, Cyrus the king rendered a decree [³house ⁴of God ²this ¹to build]. 14 And the items of the house of God, the ones of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar brought forth from the house, of the one in Jerusalem, and carried them into the temple of the king, the one in Babylon -- [⁴brought them forth ¹Cyrus ²the ³king] from the temple, of the one in Babylon, and gave them to Sheshbazzar, to the treasurer, to the one over the treasury. 15 And he said to him, These items take and go! Put them in the house in Jerusalem! And the house of God -- let it be built in its place! 16 Then that Sheshbazzar came and put down the foundations of the house of God, the one in Jerusalem. And from then until now it is being built, and was not finished. 17 And now if for the king it seems good, let it be overseen in the house of the treasury of the king there in Babylon! so as to know that if from king Cyrus [²was rendered ¹a decree] to build the house of God, that one in Jerusalem. And [³knowing ¹the ²king] concerning this, let him send forth a reply to us!