² Then Joshua^(A) son of Jozadak^(B) and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel^(C) and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses^(D) the man of God. ³ Despite their fear^(E) of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.^{(F) 4} Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles^(G) with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. ⁵ After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon^(H) sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,^(I) as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. ⁶ On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.

Rebuilding the Temple

⁷ Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters,^(J) and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs^(K) by sea from Lebanon^(L) to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus^(M) king of Persia.

⁸ In the second month^(N) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel^(O) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty^(P) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord.

² they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon^(A) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”^(B)

³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”^(A)

² Then Zerubbabel^(A) son of Shealtiel and Joshua^(B) son of Jozadak set to work^(C) to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

¹² Then Zerubbabel^(A) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant^(B) of the people obeyed^(C) the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared^(D) the Lord.

¹³ Then Haggai,^(E) the Lord’s messenger,^(F) gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with^(G) you,” declares the Lord. ¹⁴ So the Lord stirred up^(H) the spirit of Zerubbabel^(I) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,^(J) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant^(K) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God,