Ezra 5

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1 But the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, saying the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem, prophetic speech in the name of the God of Israel.
2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God with them, helping them.

3 At the same time I came to them Tattenai, governors beyond the river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house and to finish this wall?
4 Then we told them the names of the men that make this building.
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius, and then they come to a decision on the case.
6 Here is the letter that he sent Tattenai, governors beyond the river, and Shetharboznai his companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river to king Darius.
7 In the report, which they sent him, was written thus: To Darius the king - just in the world!
8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God; and is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
9 Then we asked those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
10 And moreover the names of them, we asked them to let them know you and write the names of those who were the chief of them.
eleven And they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built many years before this, --and a great king of Israel built and set up.
12 When our fathers angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God;
14 and the vessels of the house of God, gold and silver, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, Cyrus the king --vynes of the temple of Babylon, and gave [them] by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed governors
15 and I said to him: Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple of Jerusalem, and let God's house be built in its place.
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of God in Jerusalem; and since then until now it is being built, and is not yet finished.
17 So, if it please the king, let search made in the king's treasure house there at Babylon, whether king Cyrus exactly given permission to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the king's will concerning this let him send to us.

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