1 N ow the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, Whose was upon them.

And prophesied have the prophets, (Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah son of Iddo) unto the Jews who in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel -- unto them.

2 T hen rose up Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

Then have Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jozadak, risen, and begun to build the house of God, that in Jerusalem, and with them are the prophets of God supporting them.

3 T hen Tattenai, governor on the west side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their companions came to them and said, Who authorized you to build this house and to restore this wall?

At that time come to them hath Tatnai, governor beyond the river, and Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, and thus they are saying to them, `Who hath made for you a decree this house to build, and this wall to finish?'

4 T hen we told them the names of the men who were building this building.

Then thus we have said to them, `What the names of the men who are building this building?'

5 B ut the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so the enemy could not make them stop until the matter came before Darius and an answer was returned by letter concerning it.

And the eye of their God hath been upon the elders of the Jews, and they have not caused them to cease till the matter goeth to Darius, and then they send back a letter concerning this thing.

6 T his is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor on this side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates, the Apharsachites who were on this side of the River, sent to Darius the king.

The copy of a letter that Tatnai, governor beyond the river, hath sent, and Shethar-Boznai and his companions, the Apharsachites who beyond the river, unto Darius the king.

7 T hey wrote: To Darius the king: All peace.

A letter they have sent unto him, and thus is it written in it:

8 B e it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with huge stones, with timber laid in the walls; this work goes on with diligence and care and prospers in their hands.

`To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

9 T hen we asked those elders, Who authorized you to build this house and restore these walls?

Then we have asked of these elders, thus we have said to them, Who hath made for you a decree this house to build, and this wall to finish?

10 W e asked their names also, that we might record the names of the men at their head and notify you.

And also their names we have asked of them, to let thee know, that we might write the names of the men who at their head.

11 T hey replied, We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, rebuilding the house which was erected and finished many years ago by a great king of Israel.

`And thus they have returned us word, saying, We servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built many years before this, that a great king of Israel built and finished:

12 B ut after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

but after that our fathers made the God of heaven angry, 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;

13 B ut in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, the same King Cyrus made a decree to rebuild this house of God.

but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God,

14 A nd the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and delivered to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.

and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them hath Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to, Sheshbazzar his name, whom he made governor,

15 A nd King Cyrus said to him, Go, take these vessels to Jerusalem and carry them into the temple, and let the house of God be built upon its site.

and said to him, These vessels lift up, go, put them down in the temple that in Jerusalem, and the house of God is builded on its place.

16 T hen came this Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem; and since that time until now it has been in the process of being rebuilt and is not completed yet.

Then hath this Sheshbazzar come -- he hath laid the foundations of the house of God that in Jerusalem, and from thence even till now it hath been building, and is not finished.

17 S o now, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon to see if it is true that King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.

`And now, if to the king it be good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that there in Babylon, whether it be that of Cyrus the king there was made a decree to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he doth send unto us.'