Ezra 5

Prophetic Encouragement and Work Resumption

¹Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem. They prophesied to them in the name of the God of Israel.

²Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak rose up and began to build God’s house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

³At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, came to them, with Shetharbozenai and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?”

⁴They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building.

⁵But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

Tattenai's Letter to Darius

⁶The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows.

⁷They sent a letter to him, in which was written: To Darius the king, all peace.

⁸Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

⁹Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?”

¹⁰We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head.

¹¹Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

¹²But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

¹³But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.

¹⁴The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor.

¹⁵He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God’s house be built in its place.’

¹⁶Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.

¹⁷Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”

Previous Ezra 4

Next Ezra 6

Prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage the Jewish exiles to resume rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, prompting Zerubbabel and Jeshua to restart construction work. When Persian governor Tattenai questions their authority to build, the Jews explain their divine mandate and cite Cyrus's original decree. Tattenai writes to King Darius requesting verification of the Jews' claims, while God's protection allows the work to continue uninterrupted during the investigation.

Context

This chapter marks the resumption of temple building after the opposition described in chapter 4, setting up Darius's favorable response in chapter 6.

Key Themes

Outline

1-2
Prophetic Encouragement Renews Temple Work Haggai and Zechariah prophesy to the Jews, inspiring Zerubbabel and Jeshua to resume building the temple.
3-5
Persian Officials Question the Building Project Governor Tattenai challenges the Jews' authority to build, but God's protection allows work to continue.
6-10
Tattenai's Official Letter to King Darius The governor formally reports the situation to the Persian king, requesting investigation of the Jews' claims.
11-17
The Jews' Historical Defense The Jewish elders explain their temple's history, the Babylonian exile, and Cyrus's decree authorizing reconstruction.

Prophetic Encouragement and Work Resumption

5:1–5:5

narrative narration hopeful

Prophets Haggai and Zechariah encourage the Jews to resume building the temple, while Persian officials question their authority but are prevented from stopping the work by divine protection.

person_contrast

Haggai shifts from his typical role demanding obedience to temple rebuilding into a prophetic authority figure whose words trigger immediate construction action, demonstrating prophecy's power to mobilize community response.

Tattenai's Letter to Darius

5:6–5:17

narrative narration contemplative

Governor Tattenai writes to King Darius reporting on the temple construction and the Jews' claim that they have royal authorization from Cyrus to rebuild.

person_contrast

Tattenai's letter uniquely portrays Darius as a sovereign arbiter of divine will rather than merely an earthly ruler, elevating Persian kingship to theological significance.

Insight Character Study

Tattenai's letter uniquely portrays Darius as a sovereign arbiter of divine will rather than merely an earthly ruler, elevating Persian kingship to theological significance.

Cross-References

Connected passages across Scripture

Ezra 5:1 5 references

Lexicals 5

Ezra 6:14 Lexical

The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.…

7 shared words

Ezra 7:14 Lexical

Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the la…

5 shared words

Ezra 7:15 Lexical

and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habi…

4 shared words

Ezra 6:12 Lexical

May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who stretch out their hand to alter t…

4 shared words

Ezra 4:23 Lexical

Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they wen…

4 shared words

Ezra 5:2 5 references

Lexicals 5

Daniel 5:21 Lexical

He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys…

5 shared words

Ezra 6:8 Lexical

Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God:…

5 shared words

Ezra 7:16 Lexical

and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the free will offering of the people…

5 shared words

Ezra 6:3 Lexical

In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning God’s house at Jerusalem, let the house be…

5 shared words

Ezra 4:24 Lexical

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of…

5 shared words

Ezra 5:3 5 references

Lexicals 5

Ezra 6:13 Lexical

Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions did accordingly with all diligence, b…

Ezra 5

Prophetic Encouragement and Work Resumption

Tattenai's Letter to Darius

Prophetic Encouragement and Work Resumption

Tattenai's Letter to Darius

Insights

Cross-References

Ezra 5:1 5 references

Ezra 5:2 5 references

Ezra 5:3 5 references

Ezra 5:4 5 references

Ezra 5:5 5 references

Ezra 5:6 5 references

Ezra 5:7 5 references

Ezra 5:8 5 references

Ezra 5:9 5 references

Ezra 5:10 5 references

Ezra 5:11 5 references

Ezra 5:12 5 references

Ezra 5:13 5 references

Ezra 5:14 5 references

Ezra 5:15 5 references

Ezra 5:16 5 references

Ezra 5:17 5 references

Interlinear

Historical Context

Timeline

Exile