[1] Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechari'ah the son of Iddo, prophesied to
the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel
who was over them. [2] Then Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el and Jeshua
the son of Jo'zadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in
Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them. [3] At the
same time Tat'tenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and
She'thar-boz'enai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus,
"Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?"
[4] They also asked them this, "What are the names of the men who are
building this building?" [5] But the eye of their God was upon the elders
of the Jews, and they did not stop them till a report should reach Darius
and then answer be returned by letter concerning it. [6] The copy of the
letter which Tat'tenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and
She'thar-boz'enai and his associates the governors who were in the province
Beyond the River sent to Darius the king; [7] they sent him a report, in
which was written as follows: "To Darius the king, all peace. [8] Be it
known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of
the great God. It is being built with huge stones, and timber is laid in
the walls; this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands. [9]
Then we asked those elders and spoke to them thus, `Who gave you a decree
to build this house and to finish this structure?' [10] We also asked them
their names, for your information, that we might write down the names of
the men at their head. [11] And this was their reply to us: `We are the
servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house
that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and
finished. [12] But because our fathers had angered the God of heaven, he
gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnez'zar king of Babylon, the Chalde'an,
who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. [13]
However in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a
decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. [14] And the gold and
silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnez'zar had taken out of
the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon,
these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were
delivered to one whose name was Shesh-baz'zar, whom he had made governor;
[15] and he said to him, "Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple
which is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site."
[16] Then this Shesh-baz'zar came and laid the foundations of the house of
God which is in Jerusalem; and from that time until now it has been in
building, and it is not yet finished.' [17] Therefore, if it seem good to
the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see
whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this
house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this
matter."
