Elders answer with exile, Cyrus and Sheshbazzar’s history

11And this is the answer they returned to us, saying: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.

12Therefore, because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he destroyed this house and carried the people away to Babylon.

13However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.

14Also, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out from the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought them to the temple of Babylon—Cyrus the king took them out from the temple of Babylon and gave them to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.

15And he said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.’

16Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem; and from then until now it has been being built, but it is not finished.