1
Then the prophets[H5029], Haggai[H2292] the prophet[H5029], and Zechariah[H2148] the son[H1247] of Iddo[H5714], prophesied[H5013]unto[H5922] the Jews[H3062] that were in Judah[H3061] and Jerusalem[H3390] in the name[H8036] of the God[H426] of Israel[H3479], even unto[H5922] them.
2Then[H116] rose up[H6966]Zerubbabel[H2217] the son[H1247] of Shealtiel[H7598], and Jeshua[H3443] the son[H1247] of Jozadak[H3136], and began[H8271] to build[H1124] the house[H1005] of God[H426] which is at Jerusalem[H3390]: and with them[H5974] were the prophets[H5029] of God[H426]helping[H5583]them[H5974].
3
At the same time[H2166]came[H858] to them[H5922] Tatnai, governor[H6347] on this[H1836]side[H5675] the river[H5103], and Shetharboznai[H8370], and their companions[H3675], and said[H560]thus[H3652] unto them[H5922], Who[H4479] hath commanded[H7761] you to build[H1124]this[H1836]house[H1005], and to make up[H3635]this[H1836]wall?[H846]
4Then[H116]said[H560] we unto them after this[H1836]manner[H3660], What[H4479]are[H581] the names[H8036] of the men[H1400] that make[H1124]this[H1836]building?[H1147]
5
But the eye[H5870] of their God[H426]was[H1934]upon[H5922] the elders[H7868] of the Jews[H3062], that they could not[H3809]cause[H989]them[H1994] to cease[H989], till[H5705] the matter[H2941]came[H1946] to Darius[H1868]: and then[H116] they returned answer[H8421] by letter[H5407]concerning[H5922]this[H1836]matter[H2941].
6
The copy[H6573] of the letter[H104] that Tatnai, governor[H6347] on this side[H5675] the river[H5103], and Shetharboznai[H8370], and his companions[H3675] the Apharsachites[H671], which were on this side[H5675] the river[H5103], sent[H7972]unto[H5922]Darius[H1868] the king[H4430]:
7
They sent[H7972] a letter[H6600]unto[H5922] him, wherein[H1459] was written[H3790]thus[H1836]; Unto[H5922]Darius[H1868] the king[H4430], all[H3606]peace[H8001].
8
Be it known[H1934] unto the king[H4430], that we went[H236] into the province[H4083] of Judea[H3061], to the house[H1005] of the great[H7229]God[H426], which is builded[H1124] with great[H1560]stones[H69], and timber[H636] is laid[H7761] in the walls[H3797], and this[H1791]work[H5673]goeth[H5648]fast[H629] on, and prospereth[H6744] in their hands[H3028].
9Then[H116]asked[H7593] we those[H479]elders[H7868], and said[H560] unto them thus[H3660], Who[H4479]commanded[H7761] you to build[H1124]this[H1836]house[H1005], and to make up[H3635]these[H1836]walls?[H846]
10
We asked[H7593] their names[H8036]also[H638], to certify[H3046] thee, that we might write[H3790] the names[H8036] of the men[H1400] that were the chief[H7217] of them.
11
And thus[H3660] they returned[H8421] us answer[H6600], saying[H560], We[H586]are[H1994] the servants[H5649] of the God[H426] of heaven[H8065] and earth[H772], and build[H1124] the house[H1005] that was[H1934]builded[H1124]these[H1836]many[H7690]years[H8140]ago[H6928], which a great[H7229]king[H4430] of Israel[H3479]builded[H1124] and set up[H3635].
12But[H3861]after[H4481] that our fathers[H2] had provoked[H7265] the God[H426] of heaven[H8065] unto wrath[H7265], he gave[H3052]them[H1994] into the hand[H3028] of Nebuchadnezzar[H5020] the king[H4430] of Babylon[H895], the Chaldean[H3679], who destroyed[H5642]this[H1836]house[H1005], and carried[H1541] the people[H5972]away[H1541] into Babylon[H895].
13But[H1297] in the first[H2298]year[H8140] of Cyrus[H3567] the king[H4430] of Babylon[H895] the same king[H4430]Cyrus[H3567]made[H7761] a decree[H2942] to build[H1124]this[H1836]house[H1005] of God[H426].
14
And the vessels[H3984]also[H638]of[H1768]gold[H1722] and silver[H3702]of[H4481] the house[H1005]of[H4481]God[H426], which Nebuchadnezzar[H5020]took[H5312] out of[H4481] the temple[H1965] that was in Jerusalem[H3390], and brought[H2987] them into the temple[H1965]of[H4481]Babylon[H895], those[H1994] did Cyrus[H3567] the king[H4430]take[H5312] out of[H4481] the temple[H1965]of[H4481]Babylon[H895], and they were delivered[H3052] unto one, whose name[H8036] was Sheshbazzar[H8340], whom he had made[H7761]governor[H6347];
15
And said[H560] unto him, Take[H5376]these[H412]vessels[H3984], go[H236], carry[H5182]them[H1994] into the temple[H1965] that is in[H5922]Jerusalem[H3390], and let the house[H1005] of God[H426] be builded[H1124]in[H5922] his place[H870].
16Then[H116]came[H858] the same[H1791]Sheshbazzar[H8340], and laid[H3052] the foundation[H787] of the house[H1005] of God[H426] which is in Jerusalem[H3390]: and since[H4481] that time[H116] even until[H5705]now[H3705] hath it been in building[H1124], and yet it is not[H3809]finished[H8000].
17Now[H3705] therefore, if[H2006] it seem good[H2869]to[H5922] the king[H4430], let there[H8536]be[H383]search[H1240]made[H7761] in the king[H4430]'s treasure[H1596]house[H1005], which is there[H8536] at Babylon[H895], whether[H2006] it be[H383] so, that a decree[H2942] was made[H7761]of[H4481]Cyrus[H3567] the king[H4430]to[H5922]build[H1124]this[H1791]house[H1005]of[H4481]God[H426] at Jerusalem[H3390], and let the king[H4430]send[H7972] his pleasure[H7470]to[H5922] us concerning[H5922]this[H1791]matter[H1836].