Temple Restoration Resumed
1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in {Judah} and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
1 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, even unto them.
1 When the prophets, (A)Haggai the prophet and (B)Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them,
1 But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo(A) prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them,
1 At that time, the prophets Haggai and Iddo's son Zechariah prophesied specifically to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel.
2 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.
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.
2 then (C)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and (D)the prophets of God were with them supporting them.
2 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak(B) began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God(C) were with them, helping them.
2 So Shealtiel's son Zerubbabel and Jozadak's son Jeshua restarted construction of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were there supporting them.
3 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?"
3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?
3 At that time (E)Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the (a)River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them thus, “(F)Who issued you a decree to rebuild this (b)temple and to finish this structure?”
3 At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues(D) came to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”(a)(E)
3 Right about then, Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, "Who authorized you to build this Temple and to reconstruct this wall?"
4 Then we asked them this: "What are the names of the men who are building this building?"
4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
4 (G)Then we told them accordingly what the names of the men were who were reconstructing this building.
4 In answer, we responded with a list of the names of the men who were building the structure.
5 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.
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
5 But (H)the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could come to Darius, and then a written reply be returned concerning it.
5 But God was watching(c) over(F) the Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius, so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.
5 But God watched over the Jewish leaders, who could not be forced to stop working until Darius received a report and responded in reply.
The Letter To Darius
6 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.
6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
6 This is the copy of the letter which (I)Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues (J)the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king.
6 This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.
6 Here is a copy of the letter that Trans-Euphrates Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and his colleagues the Trans-Euphrates Persians sent to King Darius.
7 They sent to him the report {in which was written as follows}: "To Darius the king, all peace.
7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.
7 They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: “To Darius the king, all peace.
7 They sent him a report, written as follows: To King Darius: All greetings.
7 The letter sent to him was written like this: To: King Darius: Greetings!
8 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.
8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and (c)beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands.
8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the house of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being built with cut(d) stones, and its beams are being set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.(G)
8 This is to inform the king that we traveled to the Temple of the great God in the Judean province, which is being built with large stones and reinforced with wooden beams in its walls. The work proceeds diligently and is in capable hands.
9 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?'
9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
9 Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, ‘Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?’
9 So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”(e)
9 We asked the elders, "Who authorized you to build this Temple and to reinforce these walls?"
10 We also asked them their names to make them known to you, that we might write down the {name of their leaders}.
10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
10 We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the names of the men who were at their head.
10 We also asked them for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.
10 We also asked them their names so that we could certify the identities of their leaders to you.
11 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.
11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
11 Thus they (d)answered us, saying, ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, (K)which a great king of Israel built and finished.
11 This is the reply they gave us: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.(H)
11 In answer they responded, "We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are rebuilding the Temple that was built many years ago by a great king of Israel.
12 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.
12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, 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.
12 But (L)because our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, (M)He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.
12 But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.(I)
12 But because our predecessors provoked the God of Heaven to become angry, he handed them over to the control of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this Temple and transported the people to Babylon.
13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon's reign he issued forth a decree to build this house of God.
13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
13 However, (N)in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus (O)issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.
13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.(J)
13 "However, during King Cyrus' first year that same King Cyrus of Babylon issued a decree to reconstruct this Temple of God.
14 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.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
14 Also (P)the gold and silver utensils of the house of God which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple (e)in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon and they were given to one (Q)whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
14 He also took from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried them to the temple in Babylon.(K) He released them from the temple in Babylon to a man named Sheshbazzar, the governor by the appointment of King Cyrus.(L)
14 He delivered into the care of Sheshbazzar (whom he appointed governor) the gold and silver utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem Temple and brought into the Babylonian temple.
15 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.'
15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.
15 He said to him, “Take these utensils, go and deposit them in the temple (f)in Jerusalem and let the house of God be rebuilt in its place.”
15 Cyrus told him, “Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.”(M)
15 "And Cyrus told him, "Take these utensils, go to Jerusalem, and carry them to the Temple, after the Temple of God has been built in its appropriate place.'
16 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.'
16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
16 Then that Sheshbazzar came and (R)laid the foundations of the house of God (g)in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been under construction and it is (S)not yet completed.’
16 Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem.(N) It has been under construction from that time until now,(O) yet it has not been completed.
16 "Then this very same Sheshbazzar arrived and laid the foundations for the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Since that time until now the Temple has been under construction and is not yet completed."
17 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."
17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.
17 “Now if it pleases the king, (T)let a search be conducted in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylon, if it be that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send to us his decision concerning this matter.”
17 So if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archives(f) in Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem.(P) Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.(Q)
17 Accordingly, with your approval we suggest that a search be conducted within the king's treasury at Babylon to verify whether or not King Cyrus ever issued such a decree to reconstruct this Temple of God in Jerusalem. Then please notify us concerning the king's pleasure in this matter.