Rebuilding the Temple

⁸ In the second month of the second year after they arrived at God’s house in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak,^(A) and the rest of their brothers, including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began to build. They appointed the Levites who were twenty years old or more to supervise the work on the Lord’s house.^{(B) 9} Jeshua with his sons and brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah^[a] and of Henadad, with their sons and brothers, the Levites,^(C) joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

Temple Foundation Completed

¹⁰ When the builders had laid the foundation of the Lord’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites descended from Asaph,^(D) holding cymbals, took their positions to praise the Lord, as King David of Israel had instructed.^{(E) 11} They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: “For he is good; his faithful love to Israel endures forever.”^(F) Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s house had been laid.^(G)

¹⁶ Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem.^(A) It has been under construction from that time until now,^(B) but it has not been completed.