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24 Thus the work on the House of God in Jerusalem ceased. It remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Prophets Restart the Project
5 Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the House of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them supporting them.
3 At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and asked them, “Who gave you the authority to build this House and to complete this structure?” 4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and a written reply about it be returned.
6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shetar-bozenai, and his colleagues, officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 7 The report they sent to him was written as follows:
“To King Darius.
“All Shalom!
8 “Be it known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the House of the great God, which is being built with large stones and timber is being set in the walls. Now this work is being done diligently and is succeeding in their hands.
9 Then we questioned those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to build this House and to complete this structure?’ 10 We also asked them their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were in charge of them.
11 They responded to us saying,
‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the House that was built many years ago. A great king of Israel built and finished it. 12 But because our fathers angered the God of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the Chaldean. He destroyed this House and carried the people away to Babylon.
13 ‘However, in the first year of Cyrus, king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this House of God. 14 Even the gold and silver utensils of the House of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem and had carried away to the temple in Babylon—King Cyrus took those things from the temple in Babylon and gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
15 ‘Then he said to him, “Take these vessels and go and deposit them in the Temple in Jerusalem and let the House of God be built in its place!” 16 So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the House of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now it has been under construction, yet it is not yet finished.’
17 “Now, if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see if in fact King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this House of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision about this matter.”
Darius Endorses Rebuilding
6 King Darius then issued an order and a search was made in the archives 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:
“Memorandum:
3 “In the first year of Cyrus the king, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the House of God at Jerusalem.
“Let the House be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be laid. Its height is to be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits 4 with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. Let the expense be paid from the king’s house. 5 Also let the gold and silver vessels of the House of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought to the Temple in Jerusalem; you shall deposit them in the House of God.
6 “Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, officials of Trans-Euphrates, all of you stay away from there. 7 Leave the work of this House of God alone! Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this House of God in its place.
8 “Moreover, I hereby issue a decree as to what you are to do for these elders of the Jews to rebuild this House of God. The complete costs are to be paid to these men from the royal treasury, from the tribute from Trans-Euphrates so that they are not hindered.
9 “Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams or lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven or wheat, salt, wine and oil, as requested by the kohanim in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without neglect, 10 so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.
11 “Furthermore, I decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and impaled on it, and because of this, his house be made a pile of refuse. 12 May God, who makes His name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts his hand to cause such change to destroy this House of God in Jerusalem. I Darius have issued a decree; let it be carried out with diligence.”
Completion and Dedication of the Temple
13 Then Tattenai the governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried it out, just as King Darius had sent. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued building and prospering through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and according to the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. 15 The Temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.
16 Then the sons of Israel—the kohanim, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the House of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this House of God they offered 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 male lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 They appointed the kohanim in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions over the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.
19 The exiles celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, 20 for every one of the kohanim and the Levites had purified themselves and all of them were ceremonially pure. They slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, and for their fellow kohanim and for themselves. 21 So those of Bnei-Yisrael who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to seek Adonai the God of Israel. 22 They celebrated the Feast of Matzot with joy for seven days, because Adonai had given them joy and had changed the heart of the king of Assyria toward them so as to strengthen their hands in the work on the House of God, the God of Israel.
5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you came to trust—and to each as the Lord gave. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters work as one, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each consider carefully how he builds on it. 11 For no one can lay any other foundation than what is already laid[a]—which is Yeshua the Messiah. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear. For the Day will show it, because it is to be revealed by fire; and the fire itself will test each one’s work—what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss—he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
16 Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that the Ruach Elohim dwells among you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so he may become wise. [b] 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written, “He catches the clever in their craftiness.” [c] 20 And again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are useless.” [d] 21 So let no one boast about men. For all things are yours— 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Kefa, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come. All are yours, 23 and you are Messiah’s, and Messiah is God’s.
God Thunders Throughout Creation
Psalm 29
1 A psalm of David.
Ascribe to Adonai, O sons of God,
ascribe to Adonai glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to Adonai the glory of His Name.
Bow down to Adonai in the beauty of holiness.
3 The voice of Adonai is over the waters.
The God of glory thunders—
Adonai is over mighty waters.
4 The voice of Adonai is powerful.
The voice of Adonai is full of majesty.
5 The voice of Adonai breaks the cedars.
Yes, Adonai shatters cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of Adonai hews out flames of fire.
8 The voice of Adonai shakes the desert.
Adonai shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of Adonai makes the deer writhe in birth
and strips forests bare,
and in His Temple all are saying, “Glory!”
10 Adonai sits enthroned over the flood.
Yes, Adonai sits as King forever.
11 Adonai gives strength to His people.
Adonai blesses His people with shalom.
26 A wise king winnows out the wicked.
He turns a threshing wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the lamp of Adonai,
searching all his inmost being.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.