3In early autumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose.H7637H2320H5060H1121H3478H5892H5971H622H259H376H33892Then Jeshua son of Jehozadak joined his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his family in rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel. They wanted to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as instructed in the Law of Moses, the man of God.H6965H3442H1121H3136H251H3548H2216H1121H7597H251H1129H4196H430H3478H5927H5930H3789H8451H4872H376H4303Even though the people were afraid of the local residents, they rebuilt the altar at its old site. Then they began to sacrifice burnt offerings on the altar to the LORD each morning and evening.H3559H4196H4350H367H5971H776H5927H5930H3068H5930H1242H61534They celebrated the Festival of Shelters as prescribed in the Law, sacrificing the number of burnt offerings specified for each day of the festival.H6213H2282H5521H3789H3117H3117H5930H4557H4941H1697H3117H31175They also offered the regular burnt offerings and the offerings required for the new moon celebrations and the annual festivals as prescribed by the LORD. The people also gave voluntary offerings to the LORD.H310H8548H5930H2320H4150H3068H6942H5068H5071H30686Fifteen days before the Festival of Shelters began, the priests had begun to sacrifice burnt offerings to the LORD. This was even before they had started to lay the foundation of the LORD's Temple.H259H3117H7637H2320H2490H5927H5930H3068H3245H1964H3068H3245
The People Begin to Rebuild the Temple
7Then the people hired masons and carpenters and bought cedar logs from the people of Tyre and Sidon, paying them with food, wine, and olive oil. The logs were brought down from the Lebanon mountains and floated along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea to Joppa, for King Cyrus had given permission for this.H5414H3701H2672H2796H3978H4960H8081H6722H6876H935H730H6086H3844H3220H3305H7558H3566H4428H65398The construction of the Temple of God began in midspring, during the second year after they arrived in Jerusalem. The work force was made up of everyone who had returned from exile, including Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his fellow priests, and all the Levites. The Levites who were twenty years old or older were put in charge of rebuilding the LORD's Temple.H8145H8141H935H1004H430H3389H8145H2320H2490H2216H1121H7597H3442H1121H3136H7605H251H3548H3881H935H7628H3389H5975H3881H6242H8141H1121H4605H5329H4399H1004H30689The workers at the Temple of God were supervised by Jeshua with his sons and relatives, and Kadmiel and his sons, all descendants of Hodaviah. They were helped in this task by the Levites of the family of Henadad.H5975H3442H1121H251H6934H1121H1121H3063H259H5329H6213H4399H1004H430H1121H2582H1121H251H388110When the builders completed the foundation of the LORD's Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the LORD, just as King David had prescribed.H1129H3245H1964H3068H5975H3548H3847H2689H3881H1121H623H4700H1984H3068H3027H1732H4428H347811With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the LORD: "He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!" Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the LORD because the foundation of the LORD's Temple had been laid.H6030H1984H3034H3068H2896H2617H5769H3478H5971H7321H1419H8643H1984H3068H3245H1004H3068H324512But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple's foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy.H7227H3548H3881H7218H1H2205H7200H7223H1004H3245H1004H3245H5869H1058H1419H6963H7227H8643H7311H805713The joyful shouting and weeping mingled together in a loud noise that could be heard far in the distance.H5971H5234H6963H8643H8057H6963H1065H5971H5971H7321H1419H8643H6963H8085H7350
, when the Israelites had settled in their towns, all the people assembled in Jerusalem with a unified purpose.H7637
