Then the prophet Haggai and 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 Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build the house of God which [is] in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God [were] with them, helping them.
At the same time Tattenai the governor of [the region] beyond the River and Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: "Who has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?"
But 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 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, and his companions, the Persians who [were in the region] beyond the River, to Darius the king.
Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judea, to the temple of the great God, which is being built with heavy stones, and timber is being laid in the walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
And thus they returned us an answer, saying: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.
"But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, [who] destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylon.
"Also, 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 one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.
"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.'
"Then the same Sheshbazzar came [and] 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 it is not finished."
Now therefore, if [it seems] good to the king, 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.]