1Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah 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 Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of 5:2 Jehozadak, 1 Chr. 6:14Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

3At the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond 5:3 The Euphratesthe River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who has commanded you to build this 5:3 Lit. housetemple and finish this wall?”

4Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building.

5But the 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 written answer was returned concerning this matter.

6This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent:

7(They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus.)

8Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the 5:8 Lit. housetemple of the great God, which is being built with 5:8 Lit. stones of rolling, stones too heavy to be carriedheavy 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: “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 5:11 Lit. housetemple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.

12But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylon.

13However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this 5:13 Templehouse of God.

14Also, the 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 one 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 laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

17Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let 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.