Ezra 5:1-5--Rebuilding Begins Anew

Ezra 5:1-5
English Standard Version

Rebuilding Begins Anew
5 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to rebuild the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

​3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” 4 They also asked them this: “What are the names of the men who are building this building?” 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report should reach Darius and then an answer be returned by letter concerning it.

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There's been quite a bit of time between the end of Chapter 4 and the beginning of Chapter 5.  The Samaritans have gotten the king of Persia to order work on The Temple and Jerusalem to cease, but a new king has taken the throne, and the LORD sends a message to Zerubbabel (the rightful king of the Jewish people, but called a governor since they are currently subjects of the Persian empire) through His prophets that Zerubbabel is to take courage and restart the work that the LORD has given him to do.  He is to rebuild the house of God and Jerusalem with it, and the prophets of the LORD encouraged the people.

Now the governor of the area Beyond the River that included the Samaritans and other people that had resettled the Land (the ones who had been tasked by the previous order to make the decree known and enforce the cease-and-desist order) come to inquire as to why they have started work again and who gave them orders that they could restart construction.  They also asked for the names of everyone engaged in this new building project (in opposition to the order) so that they could report them for violating the standing order.

However, the Jews gave no answer to them and kept on building, but the governor of Beyond the River send word to Darius, the new king of Persia that he should send a letter with his response.