CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Ezra 5 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ezra/5.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/ezra/5-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Ezra 5</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ezra/4.htm" title="Ezra 4">◄</a> Ezra 5 <a href="../ezra/6.htm" title="Ezra 6">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/ezra/5.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Rebuilding Efforts Begin Again</p><p class="cross_ref">(<a href="http://isv.scripturetext.com/haggai/1.htm">Haggai 1:1</a>; <a href="http://isv.scripturetext.com/zechariah/1.htm">Zechariah 1:1</a>)</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>At that time, the prophets Haggai and Iddo’s son Zechariah prophesied specifically to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>So Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel and Jozadak’s son Jeshua restarted construction of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were there supporting them.</p> <p class="heading">Government Interference</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Right about then, Trans-Euphrates<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:3 Lit. Beyond the River">a</a></span> Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues approached and challenged them. They asked, “Who authorized you to build this Temple and to reconstruct this wall?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>In answer, we responded with a list of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:4 Lit. responded thus: “What are">b</a></span> the names of the men who were building the structure. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>But God watched over the Jewish leaders, who could not be forced to stop working until Darius received a report and responded in reply.</p> <p class="heading">A Memorandum</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Here is a copy of the letter that Trans-Euphrates<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:6 Lit. Beyond the River">c</a></span> Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and his colleagues the Trans-Euphrates Persians sent to King Darius. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>The letter sent to him was written like this:</p> <p class="doubleindent margintop">To: King Darius:</p> <p class="reg">Greetings!<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:7 Lit. All peace!">d</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>This is to inform<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title=" 5:8 Lit. Let it be known to">e</a></span> the king that we traveled to the Temple of the great God in the Judean province, which is being built with large stones and reinforced with wooden beams in its walls. The work proceeds diligently and is in capable hands.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:8 Lit. and prospers in their hands">f</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>We asked the elders, “Who authorized you to build this Temple and to reinforce these walls?” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>We also asked them their names so that we could certify the identities<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:10 Lit. could write the names">g</a></span> of their leaders to you.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>In answer they responded, “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are rebuilding the Temple that was built many years ago by a great king of Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>But because our predecessors provoked the God of Heaven to become angry, he handed them over to the control<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:12 Lit. hand">h</a></span> of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this Temple and transported the people to Babylon.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>However, during King Cyrus’ first year—that same King Cyrus of Babylon—issued a decree to reconstruct this Temple of God. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>He delivered into the care of Sheshbazzar (whom he appointed governor) the gold and silver utensils that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem Temple and brought into the Babylonian temple.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“And Cyrus<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:15 Lit. he">i</a></span> told him, ‘Take these utensils, go to Jerusalem, and carry them to the Temple, after the Temple of God has been built<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:15 Lit. temple, and let the temple of God be built">j</a></span> in its appropriate place.’</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>“Then this very same Sheshbazzar arrived and laid the foundations for the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Since that time until now the Temple has been under construction and is not yet completed.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/ezra/5-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Accordingly, with your approval we suggest that<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:17 Lit. Accordingly, if it seems good to the king, let">k</a></span> a search be conducted within the king’s treasury at Babylon to verify<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="5:17 The Aram. lacks to verify">l</a></span> whether or not King Cyrus ever issued such a decree to reconstruct this Temple of God in Jerusalem. Then please notify us concerning the king’s pleasure in this matter.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 5:3 Lit. <i>Beyond the River</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 5:4 Lit. <i>responded thus: “What are</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 5:6 Lit. <i>Beyond the River</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 5:7 Lit. <i>All peace!</i><br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 5:8 Lit. <i>Let it be known to</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 5:8 Lit. <i>and prospers in their hands</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 5:10 Lit. <i>could write the names</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 5:12 Lit. <i>hand</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 5:15 Lit. <i>he</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 5:15 Lit. <i>temple, and let the temple of God be built</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 5:17 Lit. <i>Accordingly, if it seems good to the king, let</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 5:17 The Aram. lacks <i>to verify</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../ezra/4.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ezra 4"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ezra 4" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../ezra/6.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ezra 6"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ezra 6" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/ezra/5-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>