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Chapter 5 |
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1 | Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet,
and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and
Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto 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 God helping them. |
| 3 | At the same time came to them Tatnai,
governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and
said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up
this wall? |
| 4
| Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the
names of the men that make this building? |
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5 | But the 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 copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the
river, and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on
this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: |
| 7 | They sent a
letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all
peace. |
| 8 |
Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of
Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and
timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in
their hands. |
| 9
| Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who
commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? |
| 10 | We
asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the
men that were the chief of them. |
| 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 a great king of Israel
builded and set up. |
| 12 | But after that our fathers had provoked the
God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away
into Babylon. |
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13 | But in the 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 Sheshbazzar, whom he had made
governor; |
| 15
| And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them
into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in
his place. |
| 16
| Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation
of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now
hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished. |
| 17 | Now
therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's
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. |
