Sheshbazzar

7King Cyrus also brought out the bowls and dishes from the LORD's house. King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them from Jerusalem long before. He had put them in the temple of his own gods.

Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

NoteNebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon years before. His army took the gold and silver dishes from God's house. He kept them in the temple of the gods he worshiped. Those gods were statues made by people.

8Cyrus had his treasurer, Mithredath, bring them out. Mithredath counted them out for Sheshbazzar, the leader of Judah.

Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

NoteA treasurer is the man who takes care of a king's money and treasure. "Prince of Judah" means Sheshbazzar was a leader of his people.

9Here is the list. There were 30 gold dishes and 1,000 silver dishes. There were also 29 knives.

And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

NoteThese dishes and knives were not for eating at home. Priests used them in worship at God's house.

10There were 30 gold bowls. There were 410 matching silver bowls. There were 1,000 other things too.

Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11All the gold and silver things added up to 5,400. Sheshbazzar brought all of them along. He went with the people who traveled home from Babylon to Jerusalem.

All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

NoteBabylon was the faraway city where the people had been kept. Now they were finally going home.

13"But in his first year as king, Cyrus king of Babylon gave an order. He said this house of God should be built again.

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

NoteLater on, Cyrus beat Babylon and became king of it too. When a king gave an order, it was written down and kept. Everyone had to obey it.

14"Nebuchadnezzar had taken the gold and silver dishes from God's house in Jerusalem. He had put them in the temple in Babylon. King Cyrus took them back out again. He gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he made governor.

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

NoteThese gold and silver bowls and cups were used in worship at the temple. Nebuchadnezzar had put them in the house of his own god.

15"Cyrus said to him, "Take these bowls and cups. Carry them to the temple in Jerusalem. And let God's house be built again on the same spot."

And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16"So Sheshbazzar came and laid the base of God's house in Jerusalem. From that time until now, people have been building it. But it is still not finished."

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

NoteThe base of a building is called the foundation. It is the strong bottom part the rest sits on.

17"So now, if it pleases the king, please have someone look. Search the king's records kept in Babylon. See if King Cyrus really did give this order to build God's house in Jerusalem. Then send us word about what you decide."

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

NoteKings kept their old orders written down and stored away. The room where they kept them was like a library.