Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin^(A) heard that the returned exiles^[a](B) were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him^[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”^(C)

³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,^(D) since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”^(E)