| Chapter 5
|
| 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? |
| 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. |
| 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. |
