Ezra 5

1 The prophets Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo, gave messages to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem from the God of Israel, their ruler.

Then were moved to prophesy, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, unto the Jews who were in Judaea and in Jerusalem, —in the name of the God of Israel, unto them.

2 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, decided to start work on rebuilding God's Temple in Jerusalem. The prophets of God encouraged them and helped them.

Then arose—Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, with them, were the prophets of God, strengthening them.

3 Almost immediately Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials arrived and asked, “Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and finish it?”

At that time, came unto them Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, —and, thus, spake they unto them, Who hath issued unto you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

4 Then they asked, “What are the names of the men who are working on this building?”

Then, after this manner, spake we unto them, —What are the names of these men, who, this building, do rear?

5 But their God was watching over the Jewish leaders, so that they were not prevented from working until a report could be sent to Darius and a written reply with instructions was received.

Nevertheless, the eye of their God, was upon the elders of Judah, and they did not forbid them, until the matter, unto Darius, should come, —and, then, answer be returned by letter, concerning this.

6 The following is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials, officials of the province, sent to King Darius.

A copy of the letter which Tattenai pasha Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his associates, the Apharsachites, who were Beyond the Rivet, sent unto Darius the king:

7 The report they sent him read went like this: “To King Darius: Greetings.

a message, sent they unto him, —and, thus, was it written therein, Unto Darius the king, all prosperity!

8 We wish to inform Your Majesty that we went to the province of Judah, to the Temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, with timber beams being placed on the walls. This work is being done properly and is progressing well.

Be it known unto the king, that we journeyed into the province of Judah, unto the house of the Great God, and, the same, is being built with large stones, and, timber, is being laid in the walls, —and, this work, with speed, is being done, and is prospering in their hands.

9 We questioned the leaders, asking them, ‘Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and finish it?’

Then asked we of these elders, thus, we said to them, —Who hath issued to you an edict, this house, to build, and, this wall, to complete?

10 We also asked for their names, so that we could write them down and let you know the names of their leaders.

Yea, their names also, asked we of them, to certify thee, —that we might write the name, of the men who are at their head.

11 This is the answer they gave us. ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the Temple built and completed many years ago by a great king of Israel.

And, thus, returned they, answer, to us saying, —We, are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and are building the house which was built these many years ago, which, a great king of Israel, built and completed.

12 But our forefathers made the God of heaven angry, so he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this Temple and deported the people to Babylon.

But, after that our fathers had provoked the God of the heavens to wrath, he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, —and, this house, he destroyed, and, the people, he exiled to Babylon.

13 However, Cyrus, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, issued a decree to rebuild this Temple of God.

Howbeit, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king, issued an edict, this house of God, to build.

14 He even gave back the gold and silver items belonging to God's Temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and placed in his temple in Babylon. King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor,

Moreover also, the utensils of the house of God, of gold and silver, which, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought forth out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, and had brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king, brought them forth, out of the temple of Babylon, —and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he made, pasha;

15 telling him, Take these items and place them in the Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuild God's Temple on its original site.

and said to him—These utensils, take, go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, —and let, the house of God, be built in its place.

16 So Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God's Temple in Jerusalem. It has been under construction since then, but hasn't yet been completed.’

Then, this Sheshbazzar, came, he laid the foundations of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, —and, since then, even until now, it hath been in building, and is not finished.

17 So, if Your Majesty wishes, authorize a search to be made of the royal archives in Babylon to discover if there is a record that King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild God's Temple in Jerusalem. Then please let us know Your Majesty's decision in this matter.”

Now, therefore, if, unto the king, it seem good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king which is there, in Babylon, whether it be so, that, from Cyrus the king, issued an edict, to build this house of God, in Jerusalem, —and, the pleasure of the king concerning this, let him send unto us.