Ezra 5
Governor questions Israel’s construction permit
Now the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Iddo’s son) prophesied to the Jews of Judah and Jerusalem on behalf of Israel’s God who was over them. Then Zerubbabel (Shealtiel’s son) and Jeshua (Jozadak’s son) started rebuilding God’s house in Jerusalem with the prophets by their side supporting them.
Meanwhile, Tattenai (the governor over the province west of the river), Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came and asked them, “Who gave you a permit to start construction on this building?” They also asked, “What are the names of the builders who are working on this project?” But God was looking out for the Jews and they weren’t stopped until Darius heard about it and sent a letter.
Governor Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates sent a letter to King Darius which read:
“King Darius,
Peace be upon you. We went to the province of Judah and saw the house they’re building for the great God. They’re building it with huge stones and timber for the walls. They’re hard at work and progressing nicely.
We asked the elders ‘Who gave you a permit for the construction of this building?’ And we also asked them to tell us the names of their workers and leaders so we could report them back to you.
They replied, ‘We are servants of the God over heaven and earth, and we’re rebuilding the house that was built many years ago by one of Israel’s great kings. But because our fathers angered heaven’s God, he handed them over to Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed this house and deported the people to Babylon. But in Cyrus’s first year of being Babylon’s king, he ordered that God’s house be rebuilt. Nebuchadnezzar had taken the gold and silver vessels from God’s temple in Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon’s Temple. But when Cyrus became king, he told us to rebuild God’s temple and gave the valuables to governor Sheshbazzar to restore them to Jerusalem’s temple. Then Sheshbazzar came to Jerusalem and laid the foundation for God’s house. We’ve been building ever since, but haven’t finished yet.’
So if you wish, you should check your royal documents in Babylon and see if King Cyrus really did order them to build this temple in Jerusalem. If you do, send us what you find out.”