Ezra 05 Haggai and Zechariah exhort the Jews to continue building the temple

 Ezra 05

Haggai and Zechariah exhort the Jews to continue building the temple

1 Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem; they prophesied to them in the name of the God of Israel.

2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and with them the prophets of God who helped them.

3 At that time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said to them, "Who gave you orders to build this house and to restore this wall?"

4 Then they said to them, "And what are the names of the men who built this building?" 

5 But the eye of God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not hinder them, until the matter came to Darius, and then they answered him by letter concerning it. 

6 A copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, with Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent to King Darius. 

7 They sent him a report; and it was written in it: All peace to King Darius.

 8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and the timber is being laid upon the walls; and the work is done hastily and is progressing in their hands. 

9 Then we inquired of the elders, and said to them thus: Who gave you orders to build this house, and to restore this wall? 

10 Moreover, we asked them their names, that we might tell you, that we might write down for you the names of the men who were chief among them.

11 And they gave us answers, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we have rebuilt the house that was built many years ago; for a great king of Israel built it and finished it.

12 But after our fathers provoked the God of heaven to anger, he delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried its people away to Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus gave orders to build this house of God. 

14 And even the vessels of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, and they were given to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor. 

15 And he said to him, Take these vessels, and go, and carry them to the temple that is in Jerusalem, and have the house of God built in its place. 

16 Then the said Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God that is in Jerusalem; and from that time onward it has been building, and it is not yet finished. 

17 Now therefore, if it please the king, let search be made in the king's treasury that is in Babylon, whether there is a commandment from King Cyrus to build this house of God in Jerusalem; and let the king make known to us his will concerning this matter.