³At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues came to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure? ” ,[#5:3 Ezr 6:6,13; #5:3 Or finish its furnishings , also in v. 9; #5:3 Ezr 1:1–4; 5:9,13; 6:3]

⁴They also asked them, “What are the names of the workers who are constructing this building? ”[#5:4 One Aramaic ms, LXX, Syr; MT reads Then we told them exactly what the names of the men were]

⁵But God was watching over the Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius, so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.[#5:5 Lit But the eye of their God was; #5:5 Ezr 7:6,9,28; 8:18,22,31]

The Letter to Darius

⁶This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.

⁷They sent him a report, written as follows: