Esdras 5

¹ Then Haggai a Prophet & Zechariah the sonne of Iddo a Prophet prophecied vnto the Iewes that were in Iudah, and Ierusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, euen vnto them.

² Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem: and with them [were] the prophets of GodWho encouraged them to go forward, and cursed them because they were more careful to build their own houses, than zealous to build the temple of God.helping them.

³ At the same time came to them Tatnai, which was captaine beyonde the Riuer, and Shether-boznai and their companions, and sayd thus vnto them, Who hath giuen you commaundement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundations of these walles?

⁴ That is, the enemies asked this, as in (Ezr_5:10).Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

⁵ But theHis favour and the spirit of strength.eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this [matter].

⁶ The copie of the letter, that Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shether-boznai and his companions, Apharsechaie, (which were beyond the Riuer) sent vnto King Darius.

⁷ They sent a letter vnto him, wherein it was written thus, Vnto Darivs the King, all peace.

⁸ Be it knowen vnto the King, that we went into the prouince of Iudea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, & beames are layde in the walles, and this worke is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands.

⁹ Then asked we those Elders, and sayd vnto them thus, Who hath giuen you commandement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundation of these walles?

¹⁰ We asked their names also, that we might certifie thee, & that we might write the names of the men that were their rulers.

¹¹ And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which aThat is, Solomon.great king of Israel builded and set up.

¹² But after that our fathers had prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath, he gaue them ouer into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the Caldean, & he destroyed this house, & caryed the people away captiue vnto Babel.

¹³ But in theRead (Ezr_1:1,2).first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon [the same] king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

¹⁴ And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that [was] in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto [one], whose name [was]Read (Ezr_1:8).Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

¹⁵ And he sayde vnto him, Take these vessels and goe thy way, and put them in the Temple that is in Ierusalem, and let the house of God be buylt in his place.

¹⁶ Then came the same Sheshbazzar & layde the foundation of the house of God, which is in Ierusalem, and since that time euen vntill nowe, hath it bene in buylding, yet is it not finished.

¹⁷ Now therefore, if [it seem] good to the king, let there be search made in the king'sMeaning in the library or places where lay the register or record of times.treasure house, which [is] there at Babylon, whether it be [so], that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.