1. Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.
2. Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak set out and began to build the house of God that is in Jerusalem. And with them the prophets of God were helping them.
3. At the same time Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who issued you all a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”
4. Then we asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?”
5. And the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report came to Darius, and then answer was received.
6. The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in the province Beyond the River sent to Darius the king.
7. They sent to him the report in which was written as follows: “To Darius the king, all peace.
8. May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, the house of the great God. It is being built with stone blocks and timber is being put in the walls. This work is being done with diligence and is making progress in their hands.
9. Then we asked those elders and said this to them, ‘Who issued forth to you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’