4. They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?”
5. But God was watching over the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped until a report could be dispatched to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.
6. This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and his colleagues who were the officials of Trans-Euphrates sent to King Darius.
7. The report they sent to him was written as follows:“To King Darius: All greetings!
8. Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.
9. We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’