David’s Preparations for the Temple

² So David gave orders to gather the resident aliens that were in the land of Israel,^(A) and he appointed stonecutters to cut finished stones for building God’s house.^(B)

⁴ Let every survivor,^(A) wherever he resides, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.”

Gifts for the Work

⁶⁸ After they arrived at the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, some of the family heads gave freewill offerings^(A) for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its original site.

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)

Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed

²⁴ Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.^(A)

² Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak^(A) began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God^(B) were with them, helping them.

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.

¹⁷ So if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archives^[a] in Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem.^(C) Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.^(D)

³ In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree^(A) concerning the house of God in Jerusalem:

Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained.^[a] Its height is to be ninety feet^[b] and its width ninety feet,^(B)

¹² May the God who caused his name to dwell there^(A) overthrow any king or people who dares^[a] to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.

Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah

¹⁰ I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: