3
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?"
4
Then, accordingly, we told them the names of the men who were constructing this building.
5
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.
6
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.
7
(They sent a letter to him, in which was written thus) To Darius the king: All peace.
8
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.
9
Then we asked those elders, and spoke thus to them: "Who commanded you to build this temple and to finish these walls?"
10
We also asked them their names to inform you, that we might write the names of the men who were chief among them.
11
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.
12
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.
13
However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to build this house of God.