Ezra 5:6-17

6This is the copyH6573 of the letterH104 whichH1768 1TattenaiH8674, the governorH6347 of the province beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, and Shethar-bozenaiH8370 and his colleaguesH3675 2the officialsH671, whoH1768 were beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, sentH7972 to DariusH1868 the kingH4430.

7They sentH7972 a reportH6600 to him in which it was writtenH3790 thusH1836: “To DariusH1868 the kingH4430, allH3606 peaceH8001.

8Let it be knownH3046 to the kingH4430 that we have goneH236 to the provinceH4083 of JudahH3061, to the houseH1005 of the greatH7229 GodH426, whichH1932 is being builtH1124 with hugeH1560 stonesH69, and 3beamsH636 are being laidH7761 in the wallsH3797; and thisH1791 workH5673 is goingH5648 on with greatH629 careH629 and is succeedingH6744 in their handsH3028.

9ThenH116 we askedH7593 thoseH479 eldersH7868 and saidH560 to them thusH3660, ‘WhoH4479 issuedH7761 you a decreeH2942 to rebuildH1124 thisH1836 templeH1005 and to finishH3635 thisH1836 structureH846?’

10We alsoH638 askedH7593 them their namesH8036 so as to informH3046 you, and that we might writeH3790 downH3790 the namesH8036 of the menH1400 whoH1768 were at their headH7217.

11ThusH3660 they 4answeredH8421H6600 us, sayingH560, ‘We are the servantsH5649 of the GodH426 of heavenH8065 and earthH772 and are rebuildingH1124 the templeH1005 that was builtH1124 manyH7690 yearsH8140 agoH6928, 5which a greatH7229 kingH4430 of IsraelH3479 builtH1124 and finishedH3635.

12But 6becauseH4481H1768 our fathersH2 had provokedH7265 the GodH426 of heavenH8065 to wrathH7265, 7He gaveH3052 them into the handH3028 of NebuchadnezzarH5020 kingH4430 of BabylonH895, the ChaldeanH3779, who destroyedH5642 thisH1836 templeH1005 and deportedH1541 the peopleH5972 to BabylonH895.

13HoweverH1297, 8in the firstH2298 yearH8140 of CyrusH3567 kingH4430 of BabylonH895, KingH4430 CyrusH3567 9issuedH7761 a decreeH2942 to rebuildH1124 thisH1836 houseH1005 of GodH426.

14AlsoH638 10the goldH1722 and silverH3702 utensilsH3984 of the houseH1005 of GodH426 whichH1768 NebuchadnezzarH5020 had takenH5312 from the templeH1965 11in JerusalemH3390, and broughtH2987 them to the templeH1965 of BabylonH895, theseH1994 KingH4430 CyrusH3567 tookH5312 from the templeH1965 of BabylonH895 and they were givenH3052 to one 12whose nameH8036 was SheshbazzarH8340, whomH1768 he had appointedH7761 governorH6347.

15He saidH560 to him, “TakeH5376 theseH429 utensilsH3984, goH236 and depositH5182 them in the templeH1965 13in JerusalemH3390 and let the houseH1005 of GodH426 be rebuiltH1124 in its placeH870.”

16ThenH116 that SheshbazzarH8340 cameH858 and 14laidH3052 the foundationsH787 of the houseH1005 of GodH426 15in JerusalemH3390; and from thenH116 untilH5705 nowH3705 it has been underH1124 constructionH1124 and it is 16not yet completedH8000.’

17NowH3705 ifH2006 it pleasesH2869 the kingH4430, 17let a searchH1240 be conductedH1240 in the king’sH4430 treasureH1596 houseH1005, whichH1768 is thereH8536 in BabylonH895, ifH2006 it be that a decreeH2942 was issuedH7761 by KingH4430 CyrusH3567 to rebuildH1124 thisH1791 houseH1005 of GodH426 at JerusalemH3390; and let the kingH4430 sendH7972 to us his decisionH7466 concerningH5922 thisH1836 matter.”