Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak arose and began to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem: The time marker Then introduces an action immediately following that of the previous verse. The rebuilding of the Temple was started just twenty-three days after Haggai’s first prophecy (see Hag 1.1, 15). For Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, see the comments on 1 Esd 5.5-6. Since these two men and their fathers were mentioned several times in the previous chapter, Contemporary English Version says “Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the priest,” which some languages may find helpful. The verb arose reflects a Hebrew (or in this case Aramaic) idiom (see the comments on 1 Esd 2.8); it does not mean that these men got to their feet. It indicates that they began doing the action that follows. Arose and began to build may be rendered “got to work and began to build.” We may also say that Zerubbabel and Jeshua “began to rebuild again,” since 1 Esd 5.54-65 tells of work on the Temple by these men and others before enemies interfered with it. Many languages will have special words or phrases for arose, for example, “set hands to.”

With the help of the prophets of the Lord who were with them is literally “the prophets of the Lord being with [them], helping them.” Good News Bible makes it clear that the prophets were Haggai and Zechariah by rendering this clause as “and the two prophets helped them.” However, other prophets may have been involved. It is not necessary to express “being with [them],” since if the prophets helped them they were obviously with them. Revised Standard Version slightly mistranslates this clause, leaving the impression that the author is identifying prophets who were with them as opposed to other prophets. Rather, the verse says that the rebuilding of the Temple began again with the help of the prophets, who were there. The word help probably does not mean that the prophets engaged in physical labor. They were there to give encouragement and direction, to give testimony that the work being done was the will of God. According to Josephus (Jewish Antiquities 11.4.5), this help refers to the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak got to work, and began work again on rebuilding God’s Temple in Jerusalem. The prophets of the Lord were there to support them [or, to encourage them].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.