1 By the seventh month, the Israelites were settled in their hometowns. They met together in Jerusalem.
2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests joined Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel. They began to build the altar of the God of Israel. That’s where they offered burnt offerings just as it is written in the Teachings of Moses. Moses was the man of God.
3 They were afraid of the people living around them. But they still built the altar where it had been before. They offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord morning and evening.
4 Then, to obey what was written, they celebrated the Feast of Shelters. They offered the right number of sacrifices for each day of the festival.
5 After the Feast of Shelters, they had regular sacrifices every day. They had sacrifices for the New Moon and all the festivals commanded by the Lord. Also there were special offerings brought as gifts to the Lord.
6 On the first day of the seventh month they began to bring burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had not yet been laid.
7 Then they gave money to the stoneworkers and carpenters. They also gave food, wine and oil to the cities of Sidon and Tyre. This was so they would float cedar logs from Lebanon to the seacoast town of Joppa. Cyrus king of Persia had given permission for this.