While in captivity the children of Israel forsook the commandments of God and took strange wives. This matter was brought before Ezra who rent his garments and wept for Israel.

Ezra and a large company carrying treasure to the house of the Lord humbled themselves and prayed to God for protection before traveling through enemy territory to Jerusalem.

King Arthasastha decrees that Ezra is to return to Jerusalem and offer sacrifices and appoint scribes and judges and proclaim the law of God to the people.

After receiving the letter from the governor, king Darius made a search and discovered the words of the Hebrews repairing the house of the Lord to be true. And so he replied with the decree that all hindrances were to stop immediately and anyone who frustrated the work would be impaled on timber from his own house and his property confiscated.

The governor (Thanthanai) attempts to undermine the building of the house of the Lord by sending word to king Darius suggesting he make a search through the records to confirm it was ordered to be built by king Cyrus of Persia.

After the children of the captivity returned to build the house of the Lord, the people in the land, came and offered to help rebuild the house of the Lord. When they refused the help, the people of the land began undermining it until they halted it completely.

The people of Israel came to restore the house of the Lord and built an altar and conducted feasts and sacrifices and cheered and wept over their work of rebuilding.

The names and families of those who responded to Cyrus' command

Cyrus issued a proclamation to all the kingdoms of the earth informing them that God gave him all the kingdoms of the earth and commissioned him to build him a temple in Jerusalem.

God used the Chaldeans to bring judgment upon Israel for the wickedness of Manasses exiling them to Babylon for seventy years to give the land it's sabbath time of rest.