Ezra 5

¹Then Haggai a Prophet and 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.

²Then Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel, and Ieshua the sonne of Iozadak arose, and began to builde the house of God at Ierusalem, and with them were the Prophetes of God, which helped them.

³At 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 commandement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundations of these walles?

⁴Then sayde we vnto them after this maner, What are the names of the men that buylde this buylding?

⁵But the eye of their God was vpon the Elders of the Iewes, that they coulde not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they answered by letters thereunto.

⁶The 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.

⁷They sent a letter vnto him, wherein it was written thus, VNTO DARIVS the king, all peace.

⁸Be 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, and beames are layde in the walles, and this worke is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands.

⁹Then 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?

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

¹¹But they answered vs thus, and sayd, We are the seruants of the God of heauen and earth, and buylde the house that was buylt of olde and many yeeres ago, which a great King of Israel builded, and founded it.

¹²But 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, and he destroyed this house, and caryed the people away captiue vnto Babel.

¹³But in the first yere of Cyrus King of Babel, King Cyrus made a decree to buylde this house of God.

¹⁴And the vessels of golde and siluer of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke out of the Temple, that was in Ierusalem, and brought them into the Temple of Babel, those did Cyrus the king take out of the Temple of Babel, and they gaue them vnto one Sheshbazzar by his name, whome he had made captaine.

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶Then came the same Sheshbazzar and 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.

¹⁷Nowe therefore if it please the King, let there be searche made in the house of the Kings treasures, which is there in Babel, whether a decree hath bene made by King Cyrus, to build this house of God in Ierusalem, and let the King send his minde concerning this.

Ezra 5

¹Then 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.

²Then 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.

³At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar–boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

⁴Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

⁵But 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.

⁶The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar–boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

⁷They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

⁸Be 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.

⁹Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

¹⁰We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

¹¹And 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.

¹²But 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.

¹³But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

¹⁴And 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;

¹⁵And 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.

¹⁶Then 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.

¹⁷Now 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.