Ezra 5

1Now Aggeus the prophet, and Zacharias the son of Addo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judea and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel.

2Then rose up Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, and Josue the son of Josedec, and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem, and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3And at the same time came to them Thathanai, who was governor beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and their counsellors: and said thus to them: Who hath given you counsel to build this house, and to repair the walls thereof?

4In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.

5But the eye of their God was upon the ancients of the Jews, and they could not hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they should give satisfaction concerning that accusation.

6The copy of the letter that Thathanai governor of the country beyond the river, and Stharbuzanai, and his counsellors the Arphasachites, who dwelt beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.

7The letter which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king all peace.

8Be it known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with unpolished stones, and timber is laid in the walls: and this work is carried on diligently, and advanceth in their hands.

9And we asked those ancients, and said to them thus: Who hath given you authority to build this house, and to repair these walls?

10We asked also of them their names, that we might give thee notice: and we have written the names of the men that are the chief among them.

11And they answered us in these words, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building a temple that was built these many years ago, and which a great king of Israel built and set up.

12But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he delivered them into the hands of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon the Chaldean: and he destroyed this house, and carried away the people to Babylon.

13But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, king Cyrus set forth a decree, that this house of God should be built.

14And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,

15And said to him: Take these vessels, and go, and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in its place.

16Then came this same Sassabasar, and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it is in building, and is not yet finished.

17Now therefore if it seem good to the king, let him search in the king’s library, which is in Babylon, whether it hath been decreed by Cyrus the king, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

1Prophetaverunt autem Aggæus propheta, et Zacharias filius Addo, prophetantes ad Judæos qui erant in Judæa et Jerusalem, in nomine Dei Israël.

2Tunc surrexerunt Zorobabel filius Salathiel, et Josue filius Josedec, et cœperunt ædificare templum Dei in Jerusalem, et cum eis prophetæ Dei adjuvantes eos.

3In ipso autem tempore venit ad eos Thathanai, qui erat dux trans flumen, et Stharbuzanai, et consiliarii eorum: sicque dixerunt eis: Quis dedit vobis consilium ut domum hanc ædificaretis, et muros ejus instauraretis?

4Ad quod respondimus eis, quæ essent nomina hominum auctorum ædificationis illius.

5Oculus autem Dei eorum factus est super senes Judæorum, et non potuerunt inhibere eos. Placuitque ut res ad Darium referretur, et tunc satisfacerent adversus accusationem illam.

6Exemplar epistolæ, quam misit Thathanai dux regionis trans flumen, et Stharbuzanai, et consiliatores ejus Arphasachæi, qui erant trans flumen, ad Darium regem.

7Sermo, quem miserant ei, sic scriptus erat: Dario regi pax omnis.

8Notum sit regi, isse nos ad Judæam provinciam, ad domum Dei magni, quæ ædificatur lapide impolito, et ligna ponuntur in parietibus: opusque illud diligenter exstruitur, et crescit in manibus eorum.

9Interrogavimus ergo senes illos, et ita diximus eis: Quis dedit vobis potestatem ut domum hanc ædificaretis, et muros hos instauraretis?

10Sed et nomina eorum quæsivimus ab eis, ut nuntiaremus tibi: scripsimusque nomina eorum virorum, qui sunt principes in eis.

11Hujuscemodi autem sermonem responderunt nobis dicentes: Nos sumus servi Dei cæli et terræ, et ædificamus templum, quod erat exstructum ante hos annos multos, quodque rex Israël magnus ædificaverat, et exstruxerat.

12Postquam autem ad iracundiam provocaverunt patres nostri Deum cæli, tradidit eos in manus Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis Chaldæi, domum quoque hanc destruxit, et populum ejus transtulit in Babylonem.

13Anno autem primo Cyri regis Babylonis, Cyrus rex proposuit edictum ut domus Dei hæc ædificaretur.

14Nam et vasa templi Dei aurea et argentea, quæ Nabuchodonosor tulerat de templo, quod erat in Jerusalem, et asportaverat ea in templum Babylonis, protulit Cyrus rex de templo Babylonis, et data sunt Sassabasar vocabulo, quem et principem constituit,

15dixitque ei: Hæc vasa tolle, et vade, et pone ea in templo, quod est in Jerusalem, et domus Dei ædificetur in loco suo.

16Tunc itaque Sassabasar ille venit et posuit fundamenta templi Dei in Jerusalem, et ex eo tempore usque nunc ædificatur, et necdum completum est.

17Nunc ergo si videtur regi bonum, recenseat in bibliotheca regis, quæ est in Babylone, utrumnam a Cyro rege jussum fuerit ut ædificaretur domus Dei in Jerusalem, et voluntatem regis super hac re mittat ad nos.

1Now Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesying to the Jews who were in Judea and Jerusalem, prophesied in the name of the God of Israel.

2Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, rose up and began to build the temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, assisting them.

3Then, at the same time, Tattenai, who was the governor beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and their counselors came to them. And they spoke in this way to them: “Who has given you counsel, so that you would build this house and repair its walls?”

4We responded to this by giving them the names of the men who were the founders of that building.

5But the eye of their God was set over the elders of the Jews, and so they were unable to hinder them. And it was agreed that the matter should be referred to Darius, and then they would give a reply against that accusation.

6A copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the region beyond the river, and Shetharbozenai, and his counselors, the rulers who were beyond the river, sent to Darius the king.

7The word that they sent him was written in this way: “To Darius, the king of all peace.

8Let it be known to the king, that we went to the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which they are building with rough stones, and with timber set into the walls. And this work is being built up diligently, and it increases by their hands.

9Therefore, we questioned those elders, and we spoke to them in this way: ‘Who has given authority to you, so that you would build this house and repair these walls?’

10But we also required of them their names, so that we might report to you. And we have written down the names of their men, those who are leaders among them.

11Then they responded a word to us in this manner, saying: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. And we are building the temple that was constructed these many years before, and which a great king of Israel had built and constructed.

12But afterward, our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, so he delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the Chaldean. And he destroyed this house, and he transferred its people to Babylon.

13Then, in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Babylon, king Cyrus issued a decree, so that this house of God would be built.

14And now the vessels of gold and silver from the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem, and which he had carried away to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one called Sheshbazzar, whom he also appointed as governor.

15And he said to him: “Take these vessels, and go, and set them in the temple that is in Jerusalem. And let the house of God be built in its place.”

16And so this same Sheshbazzar then came and set the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. And from that time, even until now, it is being built, and it is not yet completed.’

17Now then, if it seems good to the king, let him search in the king’s library, which is in Babylon, to see whether it was ordered by king Cyrus, that the house of God in Jerusalem should be built. And may the will of the king be sent to us about this matter.”