Opposition to the Building Efforts

4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles1 were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders2 and said to them, “Let us help you build,3 for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him4 from the time5 of King Esarhaddon6 of Assyria, who brought us here.”7 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right8 to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” 4:4 Then the local people9 began to discourage10 the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. 4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time11 of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius12 of Persia.13