The rebuilding of the Temple was started just twenty-three days after Haggai’s first prophecy (see Hag 1.1, 15). The verse begins with the time marker Then, which is the same word in Aramaic as at the beginning of Ezra 4.24, where it is translated “at that time” in New Revised Standard Version. Here it indicates an action immediately following that of the previous verse. The relationship between the actions in the two verses is brought out by the use of the temporal clause “When … heard their messages” in Good News Translation.

The work of rebuilding the Temple was resumed under the same leaders, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, who started it in Ezra 3.8. They arose and began to rebuild means that they set about rebuilding (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New International Version). Arose is a literal translation of a word in Aramaic that indicates the beginning of an action (see “rose up” in Ezra 1.5). For the house of God which is in Jerusalem, see Ezra 1.4.

This time the prophets of God were helping them. This probably refers to the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, as indicated by Josephus in Jewish Antiquities XI.96, although it has been suggested that other prophets may have been helping.

Good News Translation has simplified with them were the prophets of God, helping them, which is a relatively uncommon construction in English, to one verb: “the two prophets helped them.” However, in some languages it may be acceptable grammatical form and good literary form to use two verbs; for example, “the prophets were present with them, assisting them [in the work]” (similarly English Standard Version). Some translations have restructured to express this with a noun phrase: “with the help of the prophets of God” (Bible en français courant) or “with the full support of the prophets of God” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh).

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .