predictions voiced by their earlier prophets.

The words of Haggai, uttered in September of 520, met with an immediate
response. Work was begun on the temple in October of the same year. When
the energy and enthusiasm of the builders began to wane, the prophet
appeared before them again in November of 520 with the declaration that
Jehovah was about to overthrow the great world powers and to destroy the
chariots, horses, and riders of their Persian masters, "each by the sword
of his brother." He also voiced the popular expectations that centred in
Zerubbabel, who had already been appointed governor of Judah. The prophet
declared boldly that this scion of the house of David would be Jehovah's
seal-ring, the earthly representative of that divine power which was about
to work great revolutions in the history of the world. During the same
period Zechariah also uttered his messages of encouragement and spurred
the people on to continued efforts (Section XCV).

V. The Attempt to Stop the Rebuilding of the Temple. The Aramaic
document preserved in Ezra 5 and 6 describes in detail an attempt of the
Persian governor, who ruled over the province west of the Euphrates, to
put a stop to the temple building. The narrative, the letter, and decrees
which it contains reveal at many points their Jewish origin. While the
tradition may be comparatively late, its circumstantial character favors
the conclusion that it preserves the memory of a definite historical
event. The action of the Jews in rebuilding their temple was in perfect
accord with the policy of Cyrus and also of Darius, as is shown by
contemporary inscriptions. The attempt, therefore, to stop the building of
the temple failed; and in 516 B.C., four years after the work was begun,
it was completed.

VI. The Significance of the Restoration of the Temple. The rebuilding of