1 When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in their cities, the people gathered together as one in Jerusalem.

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers, built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.

Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

3 They set up the altar on its foundations, even though there was fear of the peoples of the surrounding lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, both the morning and evening sacrifices.

And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

4 They celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, as was required for each day.

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;

5 After that, they offered the regular burnt offerings, the offerings for the new moons, and the sacred festivals of the LORD, as well as freewill offerings presented to the LORD.

And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.

6 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, even though the foundation of the LORD’s temple had not yet been laid.

From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

7 They gave money to the stonecutters and carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they would bring cedar wood by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, according to the permission granted by Cyrus king of Persia.

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

8 In the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers—the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem—began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years old and older to oversee the work on the house of the LORD.

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.

9 Jeshua and his sons and brothers, along with Kadmiel and his sons, who were descendants of Judah, joined together to oversee those working on the house of God. The sons of Henadad, along with their sons and brothers, the Levites, also took part in the work.

Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the LORD’s temple, the priests, dressed in their robes and holding trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD as David king of Israel had instructed.

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

11 With praise and thanksgiving, they sang to the LORD: 'He is good; his steadfast love endures forever for Israel.' And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD because the foundation of the LORD’s house had been laid.

And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

12 But many of the priests, Levites, and family heads—the elderly who had seen the first temple—were weeping loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy.

But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

13 The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from the sound of weeping, because the people were shouting so loudly, and the sound was heard far away.

So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.