Ezra 5
5
1But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo#Ezr 6:14; Hg 1:1; Zch 1:1 prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them, 2Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak#Ezr 3:2,8,10 began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God#Ezr 6:14 were with them, helping them.
3At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues#Ezr 6:6,13 came to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?” #5:3 Or finish its furnishings, also in v. 9#Ezr 1:1–4; 5:9,13; 6:3 4They also asked them, “What are the names of the workers#5:4 One Aramaic ms, LXX, Syr; MT reads Then we told them exactly what the names of the men were who are constructing this building?” 5But God was watching#5:5 Lit But the eye of their God was over#Ezr 7:6,9,28; 8:18,22,31 the Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius, so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.
The Letter to Darius
6This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius. 7They sent him a report, written as follows:
To King Darius:
All greetings.
8Let it be known to the king that we went to the house of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being built with cut#5:8 Or huge stones, and its beams are being set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.#Ezr 6:3–4 9So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?” 10We also asked them for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
11This is the reply they gave us:
We are the servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.#1Kg 6:1,37–38 12But since our ancestors angered the God of the heavens, he handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.#2Ch 36:19–20 13However, in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.#2Ch 36:22–23; Ezr 1:1–4 14He also took from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried them to the temple in Babylon.#2Ch 36:7,10,18; Ezr 1:7; Dn 5:2–3 He released them from the temple in Babylon to a man named Sheshbazzar, the governor by the appointment of King Cyrus.#Ezr 1:8,11 15Cyrus told him, “Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.”#Ezr 6:5 16Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem.#Ezr 3:10 It has been under construction from that time until now,#Ezr 5:1–5 but it has not been completed.
17So if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archives#5:17 Lit treasure house in Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem.#2Ch 36:22–23; Ezr 1:1–4 Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.#Ezr 6:1–12
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Ezra 5: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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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