1 A nd 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.

¶ Then the prophets, Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel unto them.

2 T hen 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.

Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, rose up and began to build the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3 A t 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?'

¶ At the same time Tatnai, captain of this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions came to them and said thus unto them, Who has commanded you to build this house and to make up this wall?

4 T hen thus we have said to them, `What the names of the men who are building this building?'

Then we said unto them regarding this, These are the names of the men that make this building!

5 A nd 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.

For the eyes of their God were upon the elders of the Jews, and they could not cause them to cease until the matter came to Darius, and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

6 T he 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.

The copy of the letter that Tatnai, captain of this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions, the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius, the king:

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

they sent a letter unto him, in which was written thus; Unto Darius, the king, all peace.

8 ` 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.

Be it known unto the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is being built with stones of marble, and the timbers are laid in the walls, and this work is going fast and prospers in their hands.

9 T hen 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?

Then we asked the elders and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house and to found these walls?

10 A nd 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.

We asked their names also, to notify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were at the head of them.

11 ` 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:

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are servants of the God of heaven and earth and rebuild the house that was built many years ago, which the great king of Israel built and founded.

12 b ut 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;

But after our fathers raged against the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

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

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

14 a nd 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,

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and had brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus, the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto Sheshbazzar, whom he had made captain;

15 a nd 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.

and said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be built in his place.

16 T hen 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.

Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which was in Jerusalem, and since that time until now it is being built, and it is not yet finished.

17 ` 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.'

Now, therefore, if it seems good to the king, let there be a search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, whether it is so, that a decree was made by Cyrus, the king, to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and let the king send unto us his will concerning this matter.