Ezra 5

“Dear King Darius, the Jews are rebuilding”

Prophets back the Temple’s rebuilding

1At the time, two prophets preached in Jerusalem and Judah. They were Haggai and Zechariah, son of Iddo. [1] They told people their messages came from God.

2Judah’s governor, Zerubbabel, [2] and the high priest, Jeshua, [3] decided to finish the job of rebuilding Jerusalem's Temple. [4] Both prophets helped.

“Who gave you permission?”

3Some officials came asking about the project. Tattenai led the group. He governed the entire territory west of the Euphrates River. He brought associates with him, including a man named Shethar-bozenai. They asked the Jews, “Who gave you orders to rebuild this? 4And what are the names of the men working on this job?”

5God was looking out for the Jews, so the officials didn’t order them to stop. Instead, they wrote a letter to King Darius.

Letter to Darius

6This is what Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and the other officials wrote to King Darius:

7“To King Darius. We hope all is well with you.

8We wanted to report that the people in Judah are rebuilding the temple to their God. They’re using good stones, hand-cut. And they’ve already framed the walls with timber. They’re working quickly and making good progress.

9We asked the leaders, ‘Who gave you orders to rebuild this?’ 10We also asked for names of the people working on the job, so we could give you the list.

11Here’s what they said: ‘We worship the God of everyone in heaven and earth. We’re simply rebuilding the Temple that one of our greatest kings built long ago.

12Our ancestors made some bad decisions. And God send Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar to punish the people. The king’s soldiers destroyed the Temple. Then they took the survivors back to Babylon with them as captives.

13Years earlier, [5] Persian King Cyrus freed the Jews and told them to go back to their land and rebuild Jerusalem’s Temple. [6] 14Cyrus also gave the Jews back everything Babylonians looted from the Temple. He collected all those silver and gold objects from the Babylonian temple and gave them to the governor he appointed over Judah, Sheshbazzar.

15He told the governor, ‘Go rebuild the Jerusalem Temple where it was before, and put these sacred objects back where they belong.’

16Sheshbazzar started the work. They built the foundation. Our people have been working it on ever since. But we’re not finished.’

Suggestion: confirm Jewish story

17If you think it’s a good idea, you might have someone try to confirm this story of theirs. Someone could search the archives for any orders Cyrus gave about the Temple. Do what you think best.”

Footnotes

Intro Notes to Ezra

15:1

Both prophets have Bible books named after them. Some of their prophecies are reportedly preserved in those books.

25:2

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel.

35:2

Jeshua son of Jozadak. Jeshua’s Hebrew name is a shortened version of “Joshua,” The Greek equivalent is “Jesus.”

45:2

Babylonian invaders destroyed the Temple and leveled Jerusalem in 586 BC. They took the survivors back with them, to what is now Iraq. Some eventually returned to their homeland. Others stayed where they had been living for a generation as captives.

55:13

About 18 years earlier. King Cyprus freed the Jews in about 538 BC. Haggai’s ministry took place in 520 BC (see Haggai 1 and Intro Notes to Haggai).

65:13

A nine-inch-long clay cylinder from Cyrus’ time, about 538 BC, confirms that he freed Babylonian captives after he took control of the former Babylonian Empire. He didn’t simply free the Jewish captives. He freed them all. The cylinder reports that he told them all to go home, rebuild their worship centers, and to say a prayer for him every day.