Ezra 5

1 And he prophesied Haggai (prophet the *Q(K)*) and Zechariah [the] son of Iddo (prophets the *Q(k)*) to Jews the who [were] in Judah and in Jerusalem in [the] name of [the] God of Israel [who was] over them.

And the prophets have prophesied (Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo) to the Jews who [are] in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the Name of the God of Israel—to them.

2 Then they arose Zerubbabel [the] son of Shealtiel and Jeshua [the] son of Jozadak and they began to build [the] house of God which [is] in Jerusalem and [were] with them (prophets the *Q(k)*) of God supporting them.

Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, have risen, and begun to build the house of God, that [is] in Jerusalem, and with them are the prophets of God supporting them.

3 At it time the he came to them Tattenai [the] governor of [the] region beyond river the and Shethar-Bozenai and associates their and as follows [they were] saying to them who? did he make for you a decree house the this to build and structure the this to finish.

At that time have come to them Tatnai, governor beyond the river, and Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, and thus they are saying to them, “Who has made for you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

4 Then as follows we said to them what? [are] they [the] names of men the who this building the [are] building.

Then we have said thus to them, “What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?”

5 And [the] eye of God their it was on [the] elders of Jews the and not they made cease them until report the to Darius it will come and then they will send back letter the concerning this.

And the eye of their God has been on [the] elders of [the] Jews, and they have not caused them to cease until [the] matter goes to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

6 copy of Letter the which he sent Tattenai - [the] governor of [the] region beyond river the and Shethar-Bozenai and associates his officials the who [were] in [the] region beyond river the to Darius king the.

The copy of a letter that Tatnai, governor beyond the river, has sent, and Shethar-Boznai and his companions, the Apharsachites who [are] beyond the river, to Darius the king.

7 Word the they sent to him and according to this it was written in midst its to Darius king the peace the all.

A letter they have sent to him, and thus is it written in it:

8 Known - let it be to king the that we went to Judea province the to [the] house of God the great and it [is] being built stone of rolling and timber [is] being set in walls the and work the this diligently [is] being done and [is] prospering in hand their.

“To Darius the king, all peace! Be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built [with] rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

9 Then we asked to elders the these as follows we said to them who? did he make for you a decree house the this to build and structure the this to finish.

Then we have asked of these elders, thus we have said to them, Who has made for you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

10 And also names their we asked (to them *LA(bh)*) to make known to you that we will write [the] name of men the who [are] at heads their.

And also their names we have asked of them, to let you know, that we might write the names of the men who [are] at their head.

11 And as follows word the they sent back to us to say we they [are] servants his of [the] God of heavens the and earth the and [we are] building house the which it was built from [the] former time of this years many and a king of Israel great he built it and he finished it.

And thus they have returned us word, saying, We [are] servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

12 But from that they enraged fathers our [the] God of heavens the he gave them in [the] hand of Nebuchadnezzar [the] king of Babylon (Chaldean the *Q(k)*) and house the this he destroyed it and people the he took into exile to Babylon.

but after that our fathers made the God of the heavens angry, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon;

13 Nevertheless in year one of Cyrus king the of Babylon Cyrus king the he made a decree [the] house of God this to build.

but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God,

14 And also vessels the of [the] house of God of gold and silver which Nebuchadnezzar he had brought out from temple the which [was] in Jerusalem and he carried them to temple the of Babylon he brought out them Cyrus king the from temple the of Babylon and they were given to Sheshbazzar name his whom governor he had made him.

and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them has Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to [one], Sheshbazzar [is] his name, whom he made governor,

15 And he said to him - (these *Q(K)*) vessels the take! go! deposit! them in temple the which [is] in Jerusalem and [the] house of God let it be built on place its.

and said to him, Lift up these vessels, go, put them down in the temple that [is] in Jerusalem, and the house of God is built on its place.

16 Then Sheshbazzar this he came he laid foundations the of [the] house of God which [is] in Jerusalem and from then and until now [it is] being built and not [it is] finished.

Then this Sheshbazzar has come—he has laid the foundations of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and from there even until now it has been building, and is not finished.

17 And now if to king the [it is] good let it be searched in [the] house of treasures the of king the there which [are] in Babylon whether there [is] that from Cyrus king the it was made [is] a decree to build [the] house of God this in Jerusalem and [the] will of king the concerning this let him send to us.

And now, if it is good to the king, let a search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that [is] there in Babylon, whether it be that there was a decree made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he sends to us.”