Àzrah (Ezra) — 5

Restoration of the Temple Resumed

1 Then the Nabym Haggyahu and Zacharyahu the son of Iddu, prophesied to the Yahudym who were in Yahudah and Yahushalam, in the Name of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, who was over them. 

2 So Zarubbabal the son of Shaaltial and Yashua the son of Yuzadak rose up and began to build the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam; and the Nabyms of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH were with them, helping them.

3 At the same time Tattanai the governor of the region beyond the River and Shathar-Buznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?” 

4 Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building. 

5 But the eye of their 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH was upon the elders of the Yahudym, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned concerning this matter. 

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattanai sent: The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shathar-Buznai, and his companions, the Parsians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.

7 They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus. To Darius the king: All Shalum.

8 Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Yahudah, to the temple of the great 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.

9 Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: “Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?” 

10 We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.

11 And thus they returned us an answer, saying: “We are the servants of the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Shamaym and Arath, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Yashar'AL built and completed. 

12 But because our fathers provoked the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Shamaym to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nabuchadnazzar king of Babylun, the Chaldaans, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylun. 

13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylun, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. 

14 Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH, which Nabuchadnazzar had taken from the temple that was in Yahushalam and carried into the temple of Babylun, those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylun, and they were given to one named Shashbazzar, whom he had made governor. 

15 And he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Yahushalam, and let the house of 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH be rebuilt on its former site.’ 

16 Then the same Shashbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH which is in Yahushalam; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and it is not finished.”

17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there in Babylun, whether it is so that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH at Yahushalam, and let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.