Ezra 5
5
Restoration of the Temple Resumed
1Then the prophet #Hag. 1:1Haggai and #Zech. 1:1Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2So #Ezra 3:2; Hag. 1:12Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and #Ezra 6:14; Hag. 2:4the prophets of God were with them, helping them.
3At the same time #Ezra 5:6; 6:6Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: #Ezra 1:3; 5:9“Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?” 4#Ezra 5:10Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building. 5But #2 Chr. 16:9; Ezra 7:6, 28; Ps. 33:18the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a #Ezra 6:6written answer was returned concerning this matter. 6This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent:
The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, #Ezra 4:7–10and his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.
7(They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus)
To Darius the king:
All peace.
8Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
9Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: #Ezra 5:3, 4“Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?”10We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.
11And thus they returned us an answer, saying: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built #1 Kin. 6:1, 38and completed.12But #2 Chr. 34:25; 36:16, 17because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of #2 Kin. 24:2; 25:8–11; 2 Chr. 36:17; Jer. 52:12–15Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and #Jer. 13:19carried the people away to Babylon.13However, in the first year of #Ezra 1:1Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God.14Also, #Ezra 1:7, 8; 6:5; Dan. 5:2the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to #Hag. 1:14; 2:2, 21one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.15And he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.’16Then the same Sheshbazzar came and #Ezra 3:8–10; Hag. 2:18laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and #Ezra 6:15it is not finished.”
17Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, #Ezra 6:1, 2let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.
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Ezra 5: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Ezra 5
5
1 Now Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesying to the Jews who were in Judea and Jerusalem, prophesied in the name of the God of Israel.
2 Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, rose up and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, assisting them.
3 Then, at the same time, Tattenai, who was the governor beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and their counselors came to them. And they spoke in this way to them: "Who has given you counsel, so that you would build this house and repair its walls?"
4 We responded to this by giving them the names of the men who were the founders of that building.
5 But the eye of their God was set over the elders of the Jews, and so they were unable to hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they would give a reply against that accusation.
6 A copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the region beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and his counselors, the rulers who were beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.
7 The word that they sent him was written in this way: "To Darius, the king of all peace.
8 Let it be known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with rough stones, and with timber set into the walls. And this work is being built up diligently, and it increases by their hands.
9 Therefore, we questioned those elders, and we spoke to them in this way: 'Who has given authority to you, so that you would build this house and repair these walls?'
10 But we also required of them their names, so that we might report to you. And we have written down the names of their men, those who are leaders among them.
11 Then they responded a word to us in this manner, saying: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. And we are building the temple that was constructed these many years before, and which a great king of Israel had built and constructed.
12 But afterward, our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, so he delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the Chaldean. And he destroyed this house, and he transferred its people to Babylon.
13 Then, in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Babylon, king Cyrus issued a decree, so that this house of God would be built.
14 And now the vessels of gold and silver from the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, and which he had carried away to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one called Sheshbazzar, whom he also appointed as governor.
15 And he said to him: "Take these vessels, and go, and set them in the temple that is in Jerusalem. And let the house of God be built in its place."
16 And so this same Sheshbazzar then came and set the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. And from that time, even until now, it is being built, and it is not yet completed.'
17 Now then, if it seems good to the king, let him search in the king's library, which is in Babylon, to see whether it was ordered by king Cyrus, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built. And may the will of the king be sent to us about this matter."
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