Rebuilding the Altar

3 When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,u the people assembledv together as one in Jerusalem. 2 Then Joshuaw son of Jozadakx and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiely and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Mosesz the man of God. 3 Despite their feara of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.b 4 Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernaclesc with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. 5 After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moond sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,e as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. 6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.