Explanation: In Ezra 5 the Jews began to rebuild the Temple after a 17 year hiatus. The painting above is suggestive of a temple-like ruin, as the ruin of Solomon's Temple might have looked. [Traditional Patriarchal Timeline. Judges Period Chronology. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2]. [Chronologically and Thematically Related Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 6:3-5; Psalm 126: Psalm 85; Haggai; Zechariah].
     Due to the exhortations of the prophets Haggai (520 B.C.) and Zechariah (520-518 B.C.), the Jews resumed their efforts to build the Temple after an interlude of 17 years (1-2). At the same time, Tatnai, Shetharboznai, and their companions, who were officials in the land, came to the Jews and asked them who had commanded them to do this work. But God's eye was upon the Jews, and the officials could not make the work cease until word came from Darius II (423-404 B.C.) to forbid or to allow the work (3-5). The officials sent a letter to Darius II concerning the exchange of words which they had with the Jews about their building project, and describing the work on the Temple which was being made with "great stones," literally "stones of rolling," indicating that the stones were so large that they may have had to be rolled or drug to the building site. The Jews told them that the Temple had been built by a great king many years ago. But it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar when their forefathers provoked God to anger. But a subsequent king, Cyrus II, the Great, (c. 600 or 576 - 530 B.C.), made a decree to rebuild the Temple; and he returned the vessels which had been in the Temple. This work was supervised by the governor, Sheshbazzar. So, on the basis of this reply from the Jews, the officials asked Darius II to search his records and see if these things were true and to let them know what his pleasure was concerning these matters (6-17).

     ⁶ The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: ⁷ They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace. ⁸ Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. ⁹ Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? ¹⁰ We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. ¹¹ And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up. ¹² But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. ¹³ But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. ¹⁴ And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; ¹⁵ And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. ¹⁶ Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished. ¹⁷ Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

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