1. In the second year of the reign of Darius, the two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo, began to speak in the name of the Lord God of Israel to the Jews who lived in Judah and Jerusalem.
2. When Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak heard their messages, they began to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and the two prophets helped them.
3. Almost at once Sisinnes, governor of Greater Syria and Phoenicia, with Shethar Bozenai and their fellow-officials, came to Jerusalem and demanded:
4. “Who gave you orders to build this temple and complete this roof and everything else? Who is doing this work?”
5. But the Lord was with the people who had returned from exile and was watching over the Jewish leaders,
6. and they were allowed to continue building until Darius could be informed and his reply received.
7. This is the report that the Persian officials sent to the emperor:
8. “To Emperor Darius, greetings.“Your Majesty should know that we went to Judah and to Jerusalem and there we found the leaders of the Jews who had returned from exile
9. building a large new temple for the Lord with expensive, shaped stone blocks and with wooden beams set in the walls.
10. The work is being done rapidly and is moving ahead steadily; yet they are taking great care and making their work look beautiful.
11. “We then asked the leaders of the people to tell us who had given them orders to rebuild the Temple and lay the foundations for the buildings.