“Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.”
The substantive portion begins: "The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the beams in the walls. The work is being carried out with diligence and is progressing under the direction of their elders." The governors provide factual description of the restoration project's progress, noting the scale of construction, the quality of materials being used, and the organized direction under community leadership. The reference to the "temple of the great God" uses religious language acknowledging the theological significance of the structure being constructed. The governors' description of diligent progress suggests a project well-organized and advancing effectively despite apparent lack of formal imperial authorization. The matter-of-fact reporting of project details indicates that the governors sought imperial judgment regarding authorization rather than immediately stopping the work themselves.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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