1 N ow the men who spoke for God, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, spoke for God to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem. They spoke 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 T hen Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began to build again the house of God in Jerusalem. The men who spoke for God were with them and helped 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, the leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their friends, came to them and said, “Who told you to build on this house and to finish the building?”

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 hey also asked, “What are the names of the men who are 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 on the leaders of the Jews. They did not stop them until a letter was sent to Darius about it, and a written answer received from him.

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 what was said in the letter sent to King Darius from Tattenai, the leader over the land on the other side of the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his important friends.

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 I t said: “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 have gone to the land of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with very large stones, and heavy pieces of wood are being laid in the walls. This work is being done with much care and is going well 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 W e asked those leaders, ‘Who told you to build this house of worship and to finish the building?’

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, that we might write down the names of their leaders and let you know.

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 answered, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are building again the house of God that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

`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 had made the God of heaven angry, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed this house of God, 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 B ut in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus told us to build again 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 N ebuchadnezzar had taken the gold and silver objects of the house of God from the house in Jerusalem, and brought them to the house of worship at Babylon. But King Cyrus took them from the house of worship at Babylon and they were given to Sheshbazzar, whom he had chosen as leader over the land.

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 H e said to him, “Go, take these objects to Jerusalem and carry them into the place of worship. And let the house of God be built again in its place.”

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 Sheshbazzar came and began building the house of God in Jerusalem. The building has been going on from then until now, and it is not yet 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 S o now, if it pleases the king, have men look through the books kept there in Babylon to see if King Cyrus had told them to build again this house of God at Jerusalem. Let the king send us word on what is decided about this.”

`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.'