1Now the Nevi’im, Khagai HaNavi and Zekhar-Yah Ben Ido, prophesied unto the Yehudim that were in Yehudah and Yerushalayim; in the name of Elohei Yisra’el they prophesied unto them. 2Then Zerubavel Ben She’alti-El rose up, and Yeshua Ben Yotzadak, and began to build Beit HaElohim which is at Yerushalayim; and with them were the Nevi’im of Elohim, helping them.
3At the same time Tatenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar Bozenai, and their companions, came to them and said thus unto them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this structure?” 4Then we spoke unto them after this manner “What are the names of the men that build this building?” 5But the eye of their Elohim was upon the elders of the Yehudim, and they did not make them cease, till the matter should come to Daryavesh, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.
6The copy of the letter that Tatenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar Bozenai, and his companions the Afarsatkhayei, who were beyond the River, sent unto Daryavesh the king; 7they sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus, “Unto Daryavesh the king, all peace. 8Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great Elohim, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. 9Then we asked those elders, and said unto them thus, ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?’ 10We asked them their names also, to announce to you, that we might write the names of the men that were at the head of them. 11And thus they returned us answer, saying, ‘We are the servants of the Elohim of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Yisra’el built and finished. 12But because that our fathers had provoked the Elohim of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel, the Kasda’a, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Bavel. 13But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king made a decree to build this house of Elohim. 14And the gold and silver vessels also of Beit HaElohim, which Nevukhadnetzar took out of the Heikhal that was in Yerushalayim, and brought them into the temple of Bavel, those did Koresh the king take out of the temple of Bavel, and they were delivered unto one whose name was Sheshbatzar, whom he had made governor; 15and he said unto him: Take these vessels, go, put them in the Heikhal that is in Yerushalayim, and let Beit HaElohim be built in its place. 16Then came the same Sheshbatzar, and laid the foundations of Beit HaElohim which is in Yerushalayim; and since that time even until now has it been in building, 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 there, which is at Bavel, whether it is so, that a decree was made of Koresh the king to build this house of Elohim at Yerushalayim, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”
אוְהִתְנַבִּי חַגַּי נְבִיָּאה וּזְכַרְיָה בַר עִדּוֹא נְבִיַּאיָּא עַל יְהוּדָיֵא דִּי בִיהוּד וּבִירוּשְׁלֶם בְּשֻׁם אֱלָהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲלֵיהוֹן. בבֵּאדַיִן קָמוּ זְרֻבָּבֶל בַּר שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל וְיֵשׁוּעַ בַּר יוֹצָדָק וְשָׁרִיו לְמִבְנֵא בֵּית אֱלָהָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם; וְעִמְּהוֹן נְבִיַּאיָּא דִי אֱלָהָא מְסָעֲדִין לְהוֹן.
גבֵּהּ זִמְנָא אֲתָה עֲלֵיהוֹן תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר נַהֲרָה וּשְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַי וּכְנָוָתְהוֹן; וְכֵן אָמְרִין לְהֹם מַן שָׂם לְכֹם טְעֵם בַּיְתָא דְנָה לִבְּנֵא וְאֻשַּׁרְנָא דְנָה לְשַׁכְלָלָה. דאֱדַיִן כְּנֵמָא אֲמַרְנָא לְּהֹם: מַן אִנּוּן שְׁמָהָת גֻּבְרַיָּא דִּי דְנָה בִנְיָנָא בָּנַיִן. הוְעֵין אֱלָהֲהֹם הֲוָת עַל שָׂבֵי יְהוּדָיֵא וְלָא בַטִּלוּ הִמּוֹ עַד טַעְמָא לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ יְהָךְ; וֶאֱדַיִן יְתִיבוּן נִשְׁתְּוָנָא עַל דְּנָה.
ופַּרְשֶׁגֶן אִגַּרְתָּא דִּי שְׁלַח תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר נַהֲרָה וּשְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַי וּכְנָוָתֵהּ אֲפַרְסְכָיֵא דִּי בַּעֲבַר נַהֲרָה עַל דָּרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא. זפִּתְגָמָא שְׁלַחוּ עֲלוֹהִי; וְכִדְנָה כְּתִיב בְּגַוֵּהּ לְדָרְיָוֶשׁ מַלְכָּא שְׁלָמָא כֹלָּא. חיְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵא לְמַלְכָּא דִּי אֲזַלְנָא לִיהוּד מְדִינְתָּא לְבֵית אֱלָהָא רַבָּא וְהוּא מִתְבְּנֵא אֶבֶן גְּלָל וְאָע מִתְּשָׂם בְּכֻתְלַיָּא; וַעֲבִידְתָּא דָךְ אָסְפַּרְנָא מִתְעַבְדָא וּמַצְלַח בְּיֶדְהֹם. טאֱדַיִן שְׁאֵלְנָא לְשָׂבַיָּא אִלֵּךְ כְּנֵמָא אֲמַרְנָא לְּהֹם: מַן שָׂם לְכֹם טְעֵם בַּיְתָא דְנָה לְמִבְנְיָה וְאֻשַּׁרְנָא דְנָה לְשַׁכְלָלָה. יוְאַף שְׁמָהָתְהֹם שְׁאֵלְנָא לְהֹם לְהוֹדָעוּתָךְ דִּי נִכְתֻּב שֻׁם גֻּבְרַיָּא דִּי בְרָאשֵׁיהֹם. יאוּכְנֵמָא פִתְגָמָא הֲתִיבוּנָא לְמֵמַר: אֲנַחְנָא הִמּוֹ עַבְדוֹהִי דִי אֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא וּבָנַיִן בַּיְתָא דִּי הֲוָא בְנֵה מִקַּדְמַת דְּנָה שְׁנִין שַׂגִּיאָן וּמֶלֶךְ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל רַב בְּנָהִי וְשַׁכְלְלֵהּ. יבלָהֵן מִן דִּי הַרְגִּזוּ אֲבָהָתַנָא לֶאֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא יְהַב הִמּוֹ בְּיַד נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל כסדיא (כַּסְדָּאָה); וּבַיְתָה דְנָה סַתְרֵהּ וְעַמָּה הַגְלִי לְבָבֶל. יגבְּרַם בִּשְׁנַת חֲדָה לְכוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא דִּי בָבֶל כּוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא שָׂם טְעֵם בֵּית אֱלָהָא דְנָה לִבְּנֵא. ידוְאַף מָאנַיָּא דִי בֵית אֱלָהָא דִּי דַהֲבָה וְכַסְפָּא דִּי נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הַנְפֵּק מִן הֵיכְלָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם וְהֵיבֵל הִמּוֹ לְהֵיכְלָא דִּי בָבֶל הַנְפֵּק הִמּוֹ כּוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא מִן הֵיכְלָא דִּי בָבֶל וִיהִיבוּ לְשֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר שְׁמֵהּ דִּי פֶחָה שָׂמֵהּ. טווַאֲמַר לֵהּ אלה (אֵל) מָאנַיָּא שֵׂא אֵזֶל אֲחֵת הִמּוֹ בְּהֵיכְלָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם; וּבֵית אֱלָהָא יִתְבְּנֵא עַל אַתְרֵהּ. טזאֱדַיִן שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר דֵּךְ אֲתָא יְהַב אֻשַּׁיָּא דִּי בֵית אֱלָהָא דִּי בִירוּשְׁלֶם; וּמִן אֱדַיִן וְעַד כְּעַן מִתְבְּנֵא וְלָא שְׁלִם. יזוּכְעַן הֵן עַל מַלְכָּא טָב יִתְבַּקַּר בְּבֵית גִּנְזַיָּא דִּי מַלְכָּא תַמָּה דִּי בְּבָבֶל הֵן אִיתַי דִּי מִן כּוֹרֶשׁ מַלְכָּא שִׂים טְעֵם לְמִבְנֵא בֵּית אֱלָהָא דֵךְ בִּירוּשְׁלֶם; וּרְעוּת מַלְכָּא עַל דְּנָה יִשְׁלַח עֲלֶינָא.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 