Ezr 4:24-5:5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Ezra 4:24-5:5: 4:24–5:5 Ezra now returns to telling about the building of the Temple in 520–515 BC . 4:24 The events of the following verses occurred approximately sixteen years after the events up through 4:5 .

a4:24–5:5►

b4:24►

c4:5►

d5:1►

eHag 1:1►

fZech 1:1►

gEzra 6:14►

h5:2►

iHag 1:1►

j12►

kHag 1:14►

l5:3►

m4►

n5:5►

oIsa 44:26►

‏ Ezra 4:24

Summary for Ezra 4:24-5:5: 4:24–5:5 ^a Ezra now returns to telling about the building of the Temple in 520–515 BC. 4:24 ^b The events of the following verses occurred approximately sixteen years after the events up through 4:5 ^c.

‏ Ezra 5:1-5

5:1 ^d Haggai first prophesied on August 29, 520 BC (Hag 1:1 ^e). Zechariah began prophesying about two months later (Zech 1:1 ^f). The books of Haggai and Zechariah record their messages (see also Ezra 6:14 ^g).
5:2 ^h The Jewish leaders had not led by faith (see Hag 1:1 ⁱ, 12 ^j). Now God’s Spirit stirred them up (Hag 1:14 ^k), and they obeyed by getting to work.

• Zerubbabel and Jeshua figure prominently in the books of Haggai and Zechariah.
5:3 ^l Who gave you permission? Unlike the hostile opposition recorded in ch 4 ^m, this seems to have been a routine inquiry to make sure that everything was done according to official requirements.
5:5 ⁿ God was watching over them: All credit goes to God’s sovereign control of events, not to any human leader or prophet. God had promised that the ruins would be rebuilt (Isa 44:26 ^o).