Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brother priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his brothers set to and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings upon it as is written in the Teaching of Moses, the agent of God.
They set up the altar on its site because they were in fear of the peoples of the land, and they offered burnt offerings on it to GOD, burnt offerings each morning and evening.
Then they celebrated the festival of Tabernacles as is written, with its daily burnt offerings in the proper quantities, on each day as is prescribed for it,
followed by the regular burnt offering and the offerings for the new moons and for all the sacred fixed times of GOD, and whatever freewill offerings were made to GOD.
They paid the hewers and artisans with money, and the Sidonians and Tyrians with food, drink, and oil to bring cedarwood from Lebanon by sea to Joppa, in accord with the authorization granted them by King Cyrus of Persia.
In the second year after their arrival at the House of God, at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brother priests and Levites, and all who had come from the captivity to Jerusalem, as their first step appointed Levites from the age of twenty and upward to supervise the work of the House of GOD.
Jeshua, his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah,aJudah Known as Hodaviah in 2.40. together were appointed in charge of those who did the work in the House of God; also the sons of Henadad, their sons and their Levite kin.
When the builders had laid the foundation of the Temple of GOD, priests in their vestments with trumpets, and Levites sons of Asaph with cymbals were stationed to give praise to GOD, as King David of Israel had ordained.
They sang songs extolling and praising GOD, “who is good—whose steadfast love for Israel is eternal.”bwho is good … eternal Cf. Ps. 106.1; 136. All the people raised a great shout extolling GOD because the foundation of the House of GOD had been laid.
Many of the priests and Levites and the heads of the clans, the older ones who had seen the first house, wept loudly at the sight of the founding of this house. Many others shouted joyously at the top of their voices.
The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the people’s weeping, for the people raised a great shout, the sound of which could be heard from afar.