Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin^(A) heard that the returned exiles^[a](B) were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him^[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”^(C)

³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,^(D) since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”^{(E) 4} Then the people who were already in the land^[c] discouraged^[d] the people of Judah and made them afraid^(F) to build. ⁵ They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans^(G) throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.^(H)

Command to Rebuild the Temple

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

¹⁴ The Lord roused the spirit^(A) of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. They began work on the house of the Lord of Armies, their God,