I will rebuild you, my dear children Israel, ¹  so that you will once again be built up. Once again you will take up the tambourine and join in the happy throng of dancers. ² 

“‘Therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘I have become compassionate ¹  toward Jerusalem ²  and will rebuild my temple ³  in it,’ says the Lord who rules over all. ‘Once more a surveyor’s measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’

He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple and did a lot of work on the wall in the area known as Ophel. ¹ 

The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

After him Binnui son of Henadad worked on another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and the corner.

After them Zadok son of Immer worked opposite his house, and after him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard at the East Gate, worked.

The Lord who rules over all ¹  says this: “These people have said, ‘The time for rebuilding the Lord’s temple has not yet come.’” ² 

But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.

Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment ¹  it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

After him ¹  Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, worked on another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah worked opposite his quarters.

He built up Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage cities he had built in Hamath.

He made upper Beth Horon and lower Beth Horon fortified cities with walls and barred gates, ¹ 

It will be a day for rebuilding your walls; in that day your boundary will be extended. ¹ 

During Ahab’s reign, ¹  Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho. ²  Abiram, his firstborn son, died when he laid the foundation; ³  Segub, his youngest son, died when he erected its gates, ⁴  just as the Lord had warned ⁵  through Joshua son of Nun. ⁶ 

After this Manasseh ¹  built up the outer wall of the City of David ²  on the west side of the Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate and all around the terrace; he made it much higher. He placed army officers in all the fortified cities in Judah.

Jedaiah son of Harumaph worked on the section adjacent to them opposite ¹  his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah worked on the section adjacent to him.

Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab worked on another section and the Tower of the Fire Pots.

Adjacent to him Ezer son of Jeshua, head of Mizpah, worked on another section, opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress.

After him Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, worked on another section from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of it. ¹ 

For they do not understand the Lord’s actions, or the way he carries out justice. ¹  The Lord ²  will permanently demolish them. ³