13 Bible Verses about The Second Temple

I struck you with blight, and with plant mildew, and hail, all the work of your hands. But {you did not come back to me},' {declares} Yahweh.

You have sown much but have harvested little. You have eaten without [being] satisfied; {you have drunk without being satiated}; you have worn clothes without [being] warm; the one who earns wages puts it in {a pouch with holes}.'

'You have looked for much, and look! [It came] to little; and [when] you brought [it] home, I blew it [away]. Why?' {declares} Yahweh of hosts. 'Because my house [is] desolate and you [are] running each to your own house! Therefore, because of you [the] heavens have withheld [the] dew and the earth has withheld its produce. I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and wild animals, and on {all their labor}.'"

But now, please {consider} from this day forward, before one stone was placed on another in the temple of Yahweh,

[Is there] still seed in the store chamber? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still produce nothing? From this day [forward] I will bless [you].'"

"Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Let your hands be strong, you who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets who [were present] on [the] day {the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of Yahweh of hosts}.

Go up the mountain and bring wood and build the house so that I may be pleased with it and honored,' says Yahweh.

shouting, "Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!"

And they put forward false witnesses who said, "This man does not stop speaking words against the holy place and the law!

[and] said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild [it] within three days.'"

But he answered [and] said to them, "Do you not see all these [things]? Truly I say to you, not [one] stone will be left here on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!"

And Jesus said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not [one] stone will be left here on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!"

"[As for] these [things] that you see--days will come in which not [one] stone will be left on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!"

Then the Jews said, "This temple has been under construction forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"

And [as] he was going out of the temple [courts], one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look! What great stones and what wonderful buildings!"

And [while] some were speaking about the temple, that it was adorned with precious stones and votive offerings, he said,

And he will make a strong covenant with the many [for] one week, but [in] half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering {and in its place} a desolating abomination [comes] even until {the determined complete destruction} is poured out on [the] desolator."

"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place" (let the one who reads understand),

And he will make a strong covenant with the many [for] one week, but [in] half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering {and in its place} a desolating abomination [comes] even until {the determined complete destruction} is poured out on [the] desolator."

And military forces from him {will occupy} and will profane the {sanctuary stronghold}, and they will abolish the regular burnt offering, and they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

"Look! I [am] going to send my messenger, and he will prepare [the] way {before me}. And the Lord whom you [are] seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, [in] whom you [are] taking pleasure--look!--[he is] about to come," says Yahweh of hosts.

I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house [with] glory,' says Yahweh of hosts.

Then King Darius issued forth a decree, and they searched the house of the treasury of scrolls being stored in Babylonia. But it was in Ecbatana in the province of Media, in the citadel, that a certain scroll had written on it, "A record.

"Now then, Tattenai governor of [the province] Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates, the envoys who are in [the province] Beyond the River--keep far away from there. Leave this work of the house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site. And I issue forth a decree for what you should do for these elders of the Jews to build this house of God. The full expense will be paid to these men from the riches of the king from the taxes of [the province] Beyond the River, without delay. read more.
Whatever may be needed--{young bulls}, young rams, sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil for the priests in Jerusalem--let it be given to them day by day with no negligence, that they may offer incense offerings to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children. Furthermore, I issue forth a decree that if any person violates this decree, let a beam be pulled out from his house and let him be impaled on it. And let his house be made a pile of rubble on [account of] this. May the God who has set his name there overthrow any king or people who sets his hand to alter [or] to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, issue forth a decree. Let it be done with diligence."

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the highest point of the temple

And he brought him to Jerusalem, and had him stand on the highest point of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,

And Cyrus the king brought out the objects of the house of Yahweh that Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. Cyrus the king of Persia let them go out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. Now these were the inventories: thirty gold metal dishes, one thousand silver metal dishes, twenty-nine vessels, read more.
thirty bowls of gold, four hundred and ten matching silver metal bowls, and one thousand other objects. All of the objects of gold and silver metal [were] five thousand four hundred. All this Sheshbazzar brought up along with the exiles from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

Also, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylonia, be returned and brought to the temple in Jerusalem to its place. Put them in the house of God."

But many of the elderly priests, Levites, and heads of the families who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house, but many {shouted aloud with joy}.

'Who among you [is] left that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it seem like nothing {to you}?

and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon.

And [while] he was holding fast to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's, utterly astonished.

And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus so that they could do for him according to what was customary under the law,

And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present [him] to the Lord

In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued forth a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices are offered and let its foundations be raised. Its height [shall be] sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to accomplish the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, Yahweh stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia and he sent a message to all of his kingdom and also [put the message] in writing:

But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones who once were far away, have become near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of the partition, the enmity, in his flesh,

In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued forth a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices are offered and let its foundations be raised. Its height [shall be] sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits,

And Jesus entered the temple [courts] and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those who were selling doves. And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a cave of robbers!"

And I answered and said to the angel [who was] talking to me, "What [are] these, my lord?" And the angel [who was] talking with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these [are]?" And I said, "No, my lord." And he answered and said to me, "This [is] the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, 'Not by strength and not by power, but [only] by my Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts. read more.
'Who [are] you O great mountain? {Before} Zerubbabel [you will become] level ground, and he will bring out the top stone amid the shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" '" And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, "The hands of Zerubbabel have founded this house, and his hands will finish it. And you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small [things] will rejoice and will see the {plumb line} in the hand of Zerubbabel." These seven [are] the eyes of Yahweh which [are] ranging {throughout the whole earth}.

But when the seven days were about to be completed, the Jews from Asia who had seen him in the temple [courts] stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, shouting, "Israelite men, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place! And furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple, and has defiled this holy place!" (For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought that Paul had brought into the temple.) read more.
And the whole city was stirred up, and the people came running together, and they seized Paul [and] dragged him outside of the temple [courts], and immediately the doors were shut.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

And he made a whip of cords [and] drove [them] all out of the temple [courts], both the sheep and the oxen, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. And to the ones selling the doves he said, "Take these [things] away from here! Do not make my Father's house {a marketplace}!" His disciples remembered that it is written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

who says of Cyrus, 'My shepherd,' and he shall carry out all my wishes; and saying of Jerusalem, 'It shall be rebuilt,' and [the] temple, 'It shall be founded.'"

And the {Israelites}, the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the {returned exiles} celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. And they offered during the dedication of this house of God one hundred young bulls, two hundred young rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering for Israel [according to] the number of the tribes of Israel. Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their sections for the work of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on [the] first day, the word of Yahweh came {through} Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, "Thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'This people says, "{The time has not come to rebuild the temple of Yahweh}.'" And the word of Yahweh came {through} Haggai the prophet, saying, read more.
"[Is it] a time for you yourselves to dwell in your houses that have been paneled [while] this house [is] desolate?" And so then, thus says Yahweh of hosts: '{Consider your ways}!

I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house [with] glory,' says Yahweh of hosts. 'The silver [is] mine and the gold [is] mine,' {declares} Yahweh of hosts. 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says Yahweh of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace' {declares} Yahweh of hosts.'"

In the reign of Ahasuerus, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic. Rehum the royal officer and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows read more.
(then Rehum the royal officer, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the envoys, the officials, the Persians, the Erechs, the Babylonians, the Susians (that is the Elamites) and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the rest of [the province] Beyond the River) and now this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes [from] your servants, the men of [the province] Beyond the River. And now, be it known to the king that the Jews who have come up from near you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the wall and repairing the foundation. Now be it known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute and toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. Now since we eat the salt of the palace and the dishonor of the king is not proper for us to see, we send and make [this] known to the king, so that it may be investigated in the book of records of your ancestors. You will find in the book of records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and they have rebelled in its midst from ancient times. Because of that this city was destroyed. We make known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, you will have nothing in [the province] Beyond the River."

At the same time Tattenai, governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: "Who issued you all a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?" Then we asked them this: "What are the names of the men who are building this building?" And the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report came to Darius, and then [answer] was received. read more.
The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of [the province] Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in [the province] Beyond the River sent to Darius the king. They sent to him the report {in which was written as follows}: "To Darius the king, all peace. May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, the house of the great God. It is being built with stone blocks and timber is being put in the walls. This work is being done with diligence and is making progress in their hands. Then we asked those elders and said this to them, 'Who issued forth to you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?' We also asked them their names to make them known to you, that we might write down the {name of their leaders}. And this is the answer they returned to us: 'We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house that was built formerly many years ago, [which] a great king of Israel had built and finished. But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of the Chaldean King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon's reign he issued forth a decree to build this house of God. Also, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took away from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylonia, King Cyrus removed them from the temple in Babylonia and they were given to Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor. He said to him, 'Take these vessels. Go put them in the temple in Jerusalem and let the house of God be built on its site.' Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem. And from that [time] until now it is being built, but not yet finished.' And now, if it seems good for the king, let it be investigated in the house of the treasury of the king in Babylonia [to see] if a decree was issued forth from King Cyrus to build this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send to us his desire on this matter."

And Jeshua [with] his sons and brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons--the sons of Judah--together directed the workers in the house of God, [along with] the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers the Levites. And the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Yahweh, and the priests [in their] apparel with the trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with the cymbals, were positioned to praise Yahweh, {as described by} King David of Israel. And they {sang responsively}, with praising and thanksgiving to Yahweh [saying], "For he is good, for his loyal love is everlasting for Israel." And all of the people responded with a great shout of joyful acclaim in praise to Yahweh because the house of Yahweh was laid.

Then the people of the land discouraged {the people of Judah} and made them afraid to build and bribed officials against them to frustrate their plan for all the days of Cyrus king of Persia until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Now the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the {returned exiles} [were] building a temple for Yahweh the God of Israel. And they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the {families}, and they said to them, "Let us build with you. Like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing [to him] from the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assyria who brought us up here.

Every day I was with you in the temple [courts] teaching, and you did not arrest me! But [this has happened] in order that the scriptures would be fulfilled.

Now the seventh month drew near and the {Israelites} [were] in the cities, [so] the people gathered as {one} in Jerusalem. And Jeshua son of Jehozadak and his brothers the priests stood up, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers built the altar of the God of Israel, in order to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundations, because {they were in terror} because of the peoples of the lands. And they offered burnt offerings on it for Yahweh, burnt offerings for the morning and the evening. read more.
And they kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and [offered] burnt offerings day by day in number according to the ordinance {as described for each day}. After [this, they presented] the daily sacrifice of burnt offerings, [the offerings] for the New Moon Festival, and for all of the appointed times consecrated for Yahweh and for all who gave a freewill offering to Yahweh. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh. But the temple of Yahweh was not yet founded.

In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued forth a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the house be built, the place where sacrifices are offered and let its foundations be raised. Its height [shall be] sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, with three layers of great stones and a layer of timber. Let the new expenses be paid from the house of the king.

Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped, and was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And he found in the temple [courts] those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated.

This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Then the Jews said, "This temple has been under construction forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"

No person could distinguish the sound of joyful acclaim from the sound of people weeping, for the people shouted with great joyful acclaim and the sound was heard from afar.

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the {families} of Israel said to them, "[It is] not for you but for us to build a house for our God. For we ourselves alone will build [it] for Yahweh the God of Israel, just as Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

And let every survivor, from wherever he {resides} be assisted by the men of that place with silver and gold, with possessions and domestic animals, and with the freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem."

Whoever among you [who is] from all of his people, may his God be with him and may he go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may he build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He is the God who [is] in Jerusalem.

with three layers of great stones and a layer of timber. Let the new expenses be paid from the house of the king.

In the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jehozadak began [their work], and the remainder of their brothers the priests and the Levites and all who came from the captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites {from twenty years and older} to direct the work of the house of Yahweh.

So they gave money to the stone craftsmen and skilled craftsmen, and food, drink, and olive oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the authorization over them of Cyrus king of Persia.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak set out and began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And with them the prophets of God [were] helping them.

And a certain man was being carried who was lame {from birth}. {He} was placed every day at the gate of the temple called "Beautiful," [so that he] could ask for charitable gifts from those who were going into the temple [courts].