Ezra 5

1 and to prophesy Haggai (prophet [the] *QK) and Zechariah son: child Iddo (prophet [the] *Qk) since Jew [the] that in/on/with Judah and in/on/with Jerusalem in/on/with name god Israel since them

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo, gave messages to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem from the God of Israel, their ruler.

2 in/on/with then to stand: rise Zerubbabel son: child Shealtiel and Jeshua son: child Jozadak and to loose to/for to build house god [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and with them (prophet [the] *Qk) that god [the] to support to/for them

Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, decided to start work on rebuilding God's Temple in Jerusalem. The prophets of God encouraged them and helped them.

3 in/on/with her time [the] to come since them Tattenai governor beyond River [the] and Shethar-bozenai Shethar-bozenai and associate their and thus to say to/for them who? to set: make to/for you command house [the] this to/for to build and wall [the] this to/for to complete

Almost immediately Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials arrived and asked, “Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and finish it?”

4 then thus to say to/for them who? they name man [the] that this building [the] to build

Then they asked, “What are the names of the men who are working on this building?”

5 and eye god their to be since be gray Jew [the] and not to cease they till account [the] to/for Darius to go and then to return: reply document [the] since this

But their God was watching over the Jewish leaders, so that they were not prevented from working until a report could be sent to Darius and a written reply with instructions was received.

6 copy letter [the] that to send Tattenai governor beyond River [the] and Shethar-bozenai Shethar-bozenai and associate her governors [the] that in/on/with beyond River [the] since Darius king [the]

The following is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their fellow officials, officials of the province, sent to King Darius.

7 edict [the] to send since him and like/as this to write in/on/with midst her to/for Darius king [the] peace [the] all [the]

The report they sent him read went like this: “To King Darius: Greetings.

8 to know to be to/for king [the] that to go to/for Judah province [the] to/for house god [the] great [the] and he/she/it to build stone great and wood to set: put/give in/on/with wall [the] and service [the] this diligently to make and to prosper in/on/with hand their

We wish to inform Your Majesty that we went to the province of Judah, to the Temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, with timber beams being placed on the walls. This work is being done properly and is progressing well.

9 then to ask to/for be gray [the] these thus to say to/for them who? to set: make to/for you command house [the] this to/for to build and wall [the] this to/for to complete

We questioned the leaders, asking them, ‘Who gave you permission to rebuild this Temple and finish it?’

10 and also name their to ask to/for them to/for to know you that to write name man [the] that in/on/with head their

We also asked for their names, so that we could write them down and let you know the names of their leaders.

11 and thus edict [the] to return: reply us to/for to say we they servant/slave his that god heaven [the] and earth: planet [the] and to build house [the] that to be to build from previously this year greatly and king to/for Israel great to build him and to complete her

This is the answer they gave us. ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the Temple built and completed many years ago by a great king of Israel.

12 except from that to enrage father our to/for god heaven [the] to give they in/on/with hand Nebuchadnezzar king Babylon (Chaldean [the] *Qk) and house [the] this to destroy her and people [the] to reveal to/for Babylon

But our forefathers made the God of heaven angry, so he handed them over to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this Temple and deported the people to Babylon.

13 nevertheless in/on/with year one to/for Cyrus king [the] that Babylon Cyrus king [the] to set: make command house god [the] this to/for to build

However, Cyrus, king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, issued a decree to rebuild this Temple of God.

14 and also utensil [the] that house god [the] that gold [the] and silver [the] that Nebuchadnezzar to go out from temple [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and to bring they to/for temple [the] that Babylon to go out they Cyrus king [the] from temple [the] that Babylon and to give to/for Sheshbazzar name her that governor to set: appoint her

He even gave back the gold and silver items belonging to God's Temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and placed in his temple in Babylon. King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor,

15 and to say to/for her (these *QK) utensil [the] to lift to go to descend they in/on/with temple [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and house god [the] to build since place her

telling him, Take these items and place them in the Temple in Jerusalem. Rebuild God's Temple on its original site.

16 then Sheshbazzar this to come to give foundation [the] that house god [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and from then and till now to build and not be complete

So Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God's Temple in Jerusalem. It has been under construction since then, but hasn't yet been completed.’

17 and now if since king [the] fine to enquire in/on/with house treasure [the] that king [the] there that in/on/with Babylon if there is that from Cyrus king [the] to set: make command to/for to build house god [the] this in/on/with Jerusalem and pleasure king [the] since this to send since us

So, if Your Majesty wishes, authorize a search to be made of the royal archives in Babylon to discover if there is a record that King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild God's Temple in Jerusalem. Then please let us know Your Majesty's decision in this matter.”