Ezra 5

1 Now the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, were preaching to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.

Then prophesied Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of 'Iddo, the prophets, unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, concerning them.

2 Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, got up and made a start at building the house of God at Jerusalem: and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealthiel, and Jeshua' the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3 At the same time, Tattenai, ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai, and their men, came to them and said, Who gave you orders to go on building this house and this wall?

At this same time came to them Thathnai, the governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, and thus they said unto them, “Who hath given you an order to build this house, and to complete these walls?”

4 Then they said these words to them: What are the names of the men who are at work on this building?

Then said we unto them after this manner, what are the names of the men that erect this building.

5 But the eye of their God was on the chiefs of the Jews, and they did not make them give up working till the question had been put before Darius and an answer had come by letter about it.

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they did not stop them, till the matter came to Darius; and they then returned an answer by letter concerning this.

6 This is a copy of the letter which Tattenai, the ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and his friends the Apharsachites, living across the river, sent to Darius the king:

A copy of the letter which Thathnai, the governor on this side of the river, and Shethar-bozenai, and his companions, the Apharsachites, who were on this side of the river, sent unto king Darius.

7 They sent him a letter saying, To Darius the king, all peace:

They sent a report unto him, and thus was it written therein: Unto king Darius be all peace.

8 This is to give the king word that we went into the land of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is made of great stones, and has its walls supported with wood, and the work is going on with industry, and they are doing it well.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which they are building with heavy stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is urged with speed, and it prospereth in their hands.

9 Then we said to the men responsible, who gave you authority for the building of this house and these walls?

Then asked we these elders, and after this manner said we unto them, Who hath given you the order to build this house, and to complete these walls?

10 And we made request for their names, so that we might send you word, and give you the names of the men at the head of them.

Also their names did we ask of them, to let thee know them, that we might write down the names of the men that are at their head.

11 And they made answer to us, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house which was put up in times long past and was designed and made complete by a great king of Israel.

And in this manner did they return us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we build the house that was built before this many years, and a great king of Israel built and completed it.

12 But when the God of heaven was moved to wrath by our fathers, he gave them up into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldaean, who sent destruction on this house and took the people away into Babylon.

But since our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them up into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house, and carried the people as exiles into Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, Cyrus the king gave an order for the building of this house of God;

However, in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus gave an order to build this house of God.

14 And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple which was in Jerusalem, and put into the house of his god in Babylon, these Cyrus the king took from the house of his god in Babylon, and gave to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made ruler;

And also the vessels of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, these did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and gave them unto one, Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed as governor;

15 And he said to him, Go, take these vessels, and put them in the Temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be put up again in its place.

And he said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple which is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built on its site.

16 Then this same Sheshbazzar came and put the house of God in Jerusalem on its bases: and from that time till now the building has been going on, but it is still not complete.

Then came this same Sheshbazzar, [and] laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and from that time even until now they have been building it, but it is not yet finished.

17 So now, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the king's store-house at Babylon, to see if it is true that an order was given by Cyrus the king for the building of this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us word of his pleasure in connection with this business.

And now, if it seem good to the king, let search be made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that an order was given by king Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send to us his pleasure concerning this matter.