5At that time, the prophets Haggai and Iddo's son Zechariah prophesied specifically to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.H5029H2292H5029H2148H1247H5714H5013H5922H3062H3061H3390H8036H426H3479H59222So Shealtiel's son Zerubabbel and Jozadak's son Jeshua restarted construction of the temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were there supporting them.H116H6966H2217H1247H7598H3443H1247H3136H8271H1124H1005H426H3390H5974H5029H426H5583
Government Interference
3Right about then, Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, "Who authorized you to build this temple and to reconstruct this wall?"H2166H858H8674H6347H5675H5103H8370H3675H560H3652H5922H4479H7761H2942H1124H1836H1005H3635H1836H8464In answer, we responded with a list of the names of the men who were building the structure.H116H560H3660H4479H581H8036H1400H1124H1836H11475But God watched over the Jewish leaders, who could not be forced to stop working until Darius received a report and responded in reply.H5870H426H1934H5922H7868H3062H3809H989H1994H989H5705H2941H1946H1868H116H8421H5407H5922H1836
A Memorandum
6Here is a copy of the letter that Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-boznai, and his colleagues the Trans-Euphrates Persians sent to King Darius.H6573H104H8674H6347H5675H5103H8370H3675H671H5675H5103H7972H5922H1868H44307The letter sent to him was written like this: To: King Darius: Greetings!H7972H6600H5922H1459H3790H1836H1868H4430H3606H80018This is to inform the king that we traveled to the temple of the great God in the Judean province, which is being built with large stones and reinforced with wooden beams in its walls. The work proceeds diligently and is in capable hands.H1934H3046H4430H236H4083H3061H1005H7229H426H1124H1560H69H636H7761H3797H1791H5673H5648H629H6744H30289We asked the elders, "Who authorized you to build this temple and to reinforce these walls?"H116H7593H479H7868H560H3660H4479H7761H2942H1124H1836H1005H3635H1836H84610We also asked them their names so that we could certify the identities of their leaders to you.H7593H8036H638H3046H3790H8036H1400H721711In answer they responded, "We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago by a great king of Israel.H3660H8421H6600H560H586H1994H5649H426H8065H772H1124H1005H1934H1124H1836H7690H8140H6928H7229H4430H3479H1124H363512But because our predecessors provoked the God of Heaven to become angry, he handed them over to the control of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and transported the people to Babylon.H3861H4481H2H7265H426H8065H7265H3052H1994H3028H5020H4430H895H3679H5642H1836H1005H1541H5972H1541H89513However, during King Cyrus' first year - that same King Cyrus of Babylon - issued a decree to reconstruct this temple of God.H1297H2298H8140H3567H4430H895H4430H3567H7761H2942H1124H1836H1005H42614He delivered into the care of Sheshbazzar (whom he appointed governor) the gold and silver utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem temple and brought into the Babylonian temple.H3984H638H1768H1722H3702H1005H426H5020H5312H4481H1965H3390H2987H1965H895H1994H3567H4430H5312H4481H1965H895H3052H8036H8340H7761H634715"And Cyrus told him, 'Take these utensils, go to Jerusalem, and carry them to the temple, after the temple of God has been built in its appropriate place.'5H560H5376H412H3984H236H5182H1994H1965H3390H1005H426H1124H5922H87016"Then this very same Sheshbazzar arrived and laid the foundations for the temple of God in Jerusalem. Since that time until now the temple has been under construction and is not yet completed."5H116H858H1791H8340H3052H787H1005H426H3390H4481H116H5705H3705H1124H3809H800017Accordingly, with your approval we suggest that a search be conducted within the king's treasury at Babylon to verify whether or not King Cyrus ever issued such a decree to reconstruct this temple of God in Jerusalem. Then please notify us concerning the king's pleasure in this matter.H3705H2006H2869H5922H4430H1240H4430H1596H1005H8536H895H2006H383H2942H7761H4481H3567H4430H1124H1791H1005H426H3390H4430H7972H7470H5922H1836