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Ezra 5

Ezra book home•Chapter 5 of 10•17 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Ezra 5 Overview

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah speak in the name of God, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua resume building the temple. Persian officials investigate and send Darius a careful report asking whether Cyrus truly authorized the project. The work continues while the imperial records are searched.

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Before you read Ezra 5

Coming from

Chapter 4 ended with the temple work halted under sustained opposition until the second year of Darius.

In this chapter

Prophetic preaching restarts the temple project, while Tattenai and other officials investigate the builders’ legal authority.

Leads into

Chapter 6 records the imperial search, confirms Cyrus’s decree, and brings the temple project to completion and dedication.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Haggai and Zechariah are not merely inspirational voices; they are prophets whose ministries are independently preserved in their biblical books. Tattenai’s inquiry is serious but more procedural than the hostile maneuvering of Ezra 4: he reports what the Jews claim and asks Darius to verify it.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God uses His word through the prophets to move discouraged people back into the work He had given them.

Truth 2

Faithful action and lawful accountability are not opposites; the Jews rebuild while the Persian government verifies the decree.

Truth 3

The builders understand themselves as servants of the God of heaven and earth, even while living under Persian administration.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Haggai 1:1 and Zechariah 1:1 date the beginning of these prophetic ministries to the reign of Darius.

Connection 2

Ezra 1 records the original Cyrus decree that the officials now ask Darius to locate.

Connection 3

Zechariah 4 encourages Zerubbabel concerning completion of the temple work.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not label every government official an enemy; Tattenai investigates and reports the claim without the same deceptive tactics seen earlier.

Keep this clear 2

The prophets’ role here concerns the covenant community and temple restoration; the chapter does not authorize anyone today to claim prophetic authority for a building project.

Keep this clear 3

The people’s renewed obedience is historically important, but it is not presented as a method for earning eternal life.

Read Ezra 5 watching for…

What causes the building work to resume.

The roles of Haggai, Zechariah, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua.

How Persian officials describe the Jewish explanation of their history.

The specific claim about Cyrus that needs verification.

How work continues while the investigation proceeds.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-2Haggai and Zechariah prophesy, and the Jews resume building the temple 3-5Persian officials question the builders, but the eye of God is upon the elders 6-17Tatnai reports the rebuilding to Darius and asks for a search of the royal records

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

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

At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

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:

They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

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.

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

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.

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.

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

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;

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.

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.

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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Ezra 5:8

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