那时,先知哈该和易多的子孙撒迦利亚奉以色列上帝的名,向犹大和耶路撒冷的犹大人宣讲上帝的话。 于是,撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯和约萨达的儿子耶书亚开始在耶路撒冷重建上帝的殿,上帝的先知在他们身边帮助他们。

当时,河西总督达乃、示他·波斯乃及其同僚来问他们:“谁批准你们重建这殿、修复这墙的?” 又问道:“建造这殿的人们叫什么名字。” 然而,上帝看顾犹太人的长老,工程没有被叫停,直到事情呈报给大流士王、收到王的回谕后才停止。

河西的官员们——河西总督达乃、示他·波斯乃及其同僚上奏大流士王, 奏章如下:

“愿大流士王一切平安! 王该知道,我们去了犹大省,到了伟大上帝的殿。人们正在用大石建殿,木料已经安在墙里,工程进展迅速、顺利。 我们问那些长老,‘谁批准你们重建这殿、修复这墙的?’ 10 我们又问他们的名字,好记下他们首领的名字禀告王。

11 “他们回答说,‘我们是天地之上帝的仆人,我们正在重建这座多年前由以色列的一位伟大君王建造的殿。 12 但因为我们的祖先触怒了天上的上帝,上帝把他们交在迦勒底人——巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中,他摧毁了这殿,把他们掳到巴比伦。 13 然而,巴比伦王塞鲁士在其统治元年,降旨重建这座上帝的殿。 14 尼布甲尼撒王曾掳去耶路撒冷上帝殿里的金银器皿,放在巴比伦神庙里,塞鲁士王从巴比伦神庙取出这些器皿,交给他委派做省长的设巴萨, 15 吩咐他把这些器皿带去,重新陈设在耶路撒冷的殿里,在旧址上重建上帝的殿。 16 于是,这位设巴萨就在耶路撒冷为上帝的殿立了根基,从那时到如今,殿一直在重建中,还没有竣工。’

17 “现在,王若愿意,请查阅巴比伦的王室记录,看看塞鲁士王是否降旨重建耶路撒冷的上帝之殿。王对此事如何决断,请告知我们。”

Work on God’s house continues

Then the prophet Haggai and the prophet Zechariah, Iddo’s son, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of Israel’s God who was over them. Subsequently, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and Jeshua, Jozadak’s son, began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. God’s prophets were with them, helping them.

At the same time, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them and spoke to them, asking, “Who authorized you to build this house and finish preparing[a] this building material?”[b] They[c] also asked them, “What are the names of the people who are building this building?” But their God looked after the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t stop them until a report reached Darius and a letter with his response had arrived.

Writing to King Darius

This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials who were in the province Beyond the River sent to King Darius. In the message they sent him, the following was written:

To King Darius, all peace! Let the king know that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with dressed stone and with timber set into the walls. This work makes good progress and prospers in their hands. We asked those elders, “Who authorized you to build this house and to complete the preparation of this material?” 10 We also asked them their names so that we could write down the names of the leaders for your information.

11 This was their reply to us: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed. 12 But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them over into the power of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and deported the people to Babylonia. 13 However, in the first year of his rule, Babylon’s King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. 14 King Cyrus also took the gold and silver equipment from God’s house out of the temple in Babylon (the ones that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and placed in the temple in Babylon) and gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor. 15 Cyrus said to him, ‘Take this equipment and go and put it in Jerusalem’s temple, and let God’s house be rebuilt on its original site.’ 16 Then Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house in Jerusalem. From then until now the rebuilding work has continued but is not yet complete.”

17 And now, if it seems good to the king, may a search be made in the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus had issued a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then may the king be pleased to send us his decision about this matter.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 5:3 Heb lacks preparing.
  2. Ezra 5:3 Heb uncertain; so also 5:9
  3. Ezra 5:4 LXX, Syr, Aram We

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.

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.

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?

Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

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.

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:

They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

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.

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.

Restoration of the Temple Resumed(A)

Then the prophet (B)Haggai and (C)Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. So (D)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of [a]Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and (E)the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

At the same time (F)Tattenai the governor of the region beyond [b]the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: (G)“Who has commanded you to build this [c]temple and finish this wall?” (H)Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building. But (I)the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, so that they could not make them cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a (J)written answer was returned concerning this matter. This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai sent:

The governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, (K)and his companions, the Persians who were in the region beyond the River, to Darius the king.

(They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus.)

To Darius the king:

All peace.

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

Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: (L)“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 God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the [f]temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built (M)and completed. 12 But (N)because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of (O)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and (P)carried the people away to Babylon. 13 However, in the first year of (Q)Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this [g]house of God. 14 Also, (R)the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon, and they were given to (S)one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15 And he said to him, ‘Take these articles; go, carry them to the temple site that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.’ 16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and (T)laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction, and (U)it is not finished.”

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

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 5:2 Jehozadak, 1 Chr. 6:14
  2. Ezra 5:3 The Euphrates
  3. Ezra 5:3 Lit. house
  4. Ezra 5:8 Lit. house
  5. Ezra 5:8 Lit. stones of rolling, stones too heavy to be carried
  6. Ezra 5:11 Lit. house
  7. Ezra 5:13 Temple