Rebuilding the Altar

3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,^(A) the people assembled^(B) together as one in Jerusalem. ² Then Joshua^(C) son of Jozadak^(D) and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel^(E) and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses^(F) the man of God. ³ Despite their fear^(G) of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.^{(H) 4} Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles^(I) with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. ⁵ After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon^(J) sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,^(K) as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. ⁶ On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.

Rebuilding the Temple

⁷ Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters,^(L) and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs^(M) by sea from Lebanon^(N) to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus^(O) king of Persia.

⁸ In the second month^(P) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel^(Q) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty^(R) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. ⁹ Joshua^(S) and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah^[a]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.

¹⁰ When the builders laid^(T) the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets,^(U) and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise^(V) the Lord, as prescribed by David^(W) king of Israel.^{(X) 11} With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

And all the people gave a great shout^(Z) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation^(AA) of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,^(AB) wept^(AC) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. ¹³ No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy^(AD) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives^(A) stored in the treasury at Babylon. ² A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates^(Q) carried it out with diligence. ¹⁴ So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching^(R) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,^(S) Darius^(T) and Artaxerxes,^(U) kings of Persia. ¹⁵ The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.^(V)

¹⁶ Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication^(W) of the house of God with joy. ¹⁷ For the dedication of this house of God they offered^(X) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering^[b] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸ And they installed the priests in their divisions^(Y) and the Levites in their groups^(Z) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.^(AA)

The Passover

¹⁹ On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.^{(AB) 20} The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered^(AC) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. ²¹ So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves^(AD) from the unclean practices^(AE) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,^(AF) the God of Israel. ²² For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(AG) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude^(AH) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra Comes to Jerusalem

7 After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes^(AI) king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah,^(AJ) the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,^{(AK) 2} the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok,^(AL) the son of Ahitub,^{(AM) 3} the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas,^(AN) the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— ⁶ this Ezra^(AO) came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted^(AP) him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.^{(AQ) 7} Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.^(AR)

⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹ He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the gracious hand of his God was on him.^{(AS) 10} For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching^(AT) its decrees and laws in Israel.

King Artaxerxes’ Letter to Ezra

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel:

²⁷ Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart^(BL) to bring honor^(BM) to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way ²⁸ and who has extended his good favor^(BN) to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me,^(BO) I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

1 In the second year of King Darius,^(A) on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai^(B) to Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel, governor^(D) of Judah, and to Joshua^(E) son of Jozadak,^[a](F) the high priest:^(G)

² This is what the Lord Almighty^(H) says: “These people^(I) say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.^(J)’”

³ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^{(K) 4} “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,^(L) while this house remains a ruin?^(M)”

⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought^(N) to your ways. ⁶ You have planted much, but harvested little.^(O) You eat, but never have enough.^(P) You drink, but never have your fill.^(Q) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,^(R) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought^(S) to your ways. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber^(T) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure^(U) in it and be honored,^(V)” says the Lord. ⁹ “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.^(W) What you brought home, I blew^(X) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,^(Y) while each of you is busy with your own house. ¹⁰ Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld^(Z) their dew^(AA) and the earth its crops.^{(AB) 11} I called for a drought^(AC) on the fields and the mountains,^(AD) on the grain, the new wine,^(AE) the olive oil^(AF) and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.^(AG)”

¹² Then Zerubbabel^(AH) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant^(AI) of the people obeyed^(AJ) the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared^(AK) the Lord.

¹³ Then Haggai,^(AL) the Lord’s messenger,^(AM) gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with^(AN) you,” declares the Lord. ¹⁴ So the Lord stirred up^(AO) the spirit of Zerubbabel^(AP) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,^(AQ) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant^(AR) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.^(AS)

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,^(AT) 2 ¹ on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(AU) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^{(AV) 2} “Speak to Zerubbabel^(AW) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^[b](AX) the high priest, and to the remnant^(AY) of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^(AZ) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^{(BA) 4} But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,^(BB) Joshua son of Jozadak,^(BC) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^(BD) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁵ ‘This is what I covenanted^(BE) with you when you came out of Egypt.^(BF) And my Spirit^(BG) remains among you. Do not fear.’^(BH)

⁶ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while^(BI) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,^(BJ) the sea and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all nations, and what is desired^(BK) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house^(BL) with glory,^(BM)’ says the Lord Almighty. ⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold^(BN) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁹ ‘The glory^(BO) of this present house^(BP) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,^(BQ)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,^(BR) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests^(BS) what the law says: ¹² If someone carries consecrated meat^(BT) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?^(BU)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.^(BV)”

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people^(BW) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^(BX) there is defiled.

¹⁵ “‘Now give careful thought^(BY) to this from this day on^[c]—consider how things were before one stone was laid^(BZ) on another in the Lord’s temple.^{(CA) 16} When anyone came to a heap^(CB) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^(CC) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^{(CD) 17} I struck all the work of your hands^(CE) with blight,^(CF) mildew and hail,^(CG) yet you did not return^(CH) to me,’ declares the Lord.^{(CI) 18} ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought^(CJ) to the day when the foundation^(CK) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: ¹⁹ Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate^(CL) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.^(CM)

“‘From this day on I will bless^(CN) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai^(CO) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^{(CP) 21} “Tell Zerubbabel^(CQ) governor of Judah that I am going to shake^(CR) the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn^(CS) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^(CT) I will overthrow chariots^(CU) and their drivers; horses and their riders^(CV) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.^(CW)

²³ “‘On that day,^(CX)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant^(CY) Zerubbabel^(CZ) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,^(DA) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,^(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah^(B) son of Berekiah,^(C) the son of Iddo:^(D)

² “The Lord was very angry^(E) with your ancestors. ³ Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return^(F) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’^(G) says the Lord Almighty. ⁴ Do not be like your ancestors,^(H) to whom the earlier prophets^(I) proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways^(J) and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me,^(K) declares the Lord.^{(L) 5} Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But did not my words^(M) and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?^(N)

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve,^(O) just as he determined to do.’”^(P)

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.^(Q)

⁸ During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red^(R) horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.^(S)

⁹ I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel^(T) who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”^(U)

¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”^(V)

¹¹ And they reported to the angel of the Lord^(W) who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”^(X)

¹² Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long^(Y) will you withhold mercy^(Z) from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah,^(AA) which you have been angry with these seventy^(AB) years?” ¹³ So the Lord spoke^(AC) kind and comforting words^(AD) to the angel who talked with me.^(AE)

¹⁴ Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous^(AF) for Jerusalem and Zion, ¹⁵ and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.^(AG) I was only a little angry,^(AH) but they went too far with the punishment.’^(AI)

¹⁶ “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return^(AJ) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line^(AK) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.^(AL)

¹⁷ “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort^(AM) Zion and choose^(AN) Jerusalem.’”^(AO)

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

¹⁸ Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. ¹⁹ I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns^(AP) that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns^(AQ) against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”^[a](AR)

A Man With a Measuring Line

2 ^[b]Then I looked up, and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² I asked, “Where are you going?”

He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is.”^(AS)

³ While the angel who was speaking to me was leaving, another angel came to meet him ⁴ and said to him: “Run, tell that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be a city without walls^(AT) because of the great number^(AU) of people and animals in it.^{(AV) 5} And I myself will be a wall^(AW) of fire^(AX) around it,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will be its glory^(AY) within.’^(AZ)

⁶ “Come! Come! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the Lord, “for I have scattered^(BA) you to the four winds of heaven,”^(BB) declares the Lord.^(BC)

⁷ “Come, Zion! Escape,^(BD) you who live in Daughter Babylon!”^{(BE) 8} For this is what the Lord Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye^(BF)— ⁹ I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them.^[c](BG) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.^(BH)

¹⁰ “Shout^(BI) and be glad, Daughter Zion.^(BJ) For I am coming,^(BK) and I will live among you,”^(BL) declares the Lord.^{(BM) 11} “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people.^(BN) I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.^{(BO) 12} The Lord will inherit^(BP) Judah^(BQ) as his portion in the holy land and will again choose^(BR) Jerusalem. ¹³ Be still^(BS) before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.^(BT)”