1 T hen the prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over 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 S o Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, 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 A t the same time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish 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, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing 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 that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter.

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 sent: The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, 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 ( They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus) To Darius the king: All peace.

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

8 L et it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently 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, and spoke thus to them: “Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish 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 also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.

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 A nd thus they returned us an answer, saying: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.

`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 because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to 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 H owever, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build 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 lso, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to one 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 he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former 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 the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

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 N ow therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning 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.'