Temple Rebuilding Resumes
(Haggai 1:1–11)

1And prophesied the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo, to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak† rose up, and they began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem—and with them the prophets of God supporting them.

3At the same time came to them Tattenai, governor beyond the River,† and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and thus spoke to them: “Who has made to you⁺ a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?”

4Then accordingly they said† to them, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”

5And the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease until a report came to Darius, and a letter was returned concerning this.

Tattenai’s Letter to Darius

6This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor beyond the River, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions, the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7They sent a letter to him, and this was written in it:

To Darius the king,

all peace.

8Be it Known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, and it is being built with rolled stones, and timber is being laid in the walls, and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.

9Then we asked these elders, and thus we spoke to them: “Who made for you⁺ a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?”

10And also their names we asked of them, to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were at their head.

11And thus they returned us an answer, saying,

“We are servants of the God of the heavens and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years before this, and a great king of Israel built it and completed it. 12But after that our fathers provoked to wrath the God of the heavens, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean, and this house he destroyed, and the people he removed to Babylon.

13But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. 14And also the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried them into the temple† of Babylon, Cyrus the king took them from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15And he said to him, ‘Lift up these articles, go, put them down in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its place.’

16Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from then on and even until now it is being built, and it is not finished.”

17And now if it is good to the king, let a search be made in the house of the treasure of the king that is there in Babylon, whether it is that by King Cyrus a decree was issued to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and let us send the will of the king concerning this.