Biblical references
Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.
3 At the same time Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, came to them, with Shetharbozenai and their companions, and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this wall?” 4 They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building. 5 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it. 6 The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king follows. 7 They sent a letter to him, in which was written: To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, “Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?” 10 We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head. 11 Thus they returned us answer, saying, “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But after our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon. 13 But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. 14 The gold and silver vessels of God’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king also took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. 15 He said to him, ‘Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God’s house be built in its place.’ 16 Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed. 17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”
Connection: The elders appeal to Cyrus's first-year decree (5:13–15). (confidence: high)
Biblical account
Layer: Biblical text
Tattenai governor Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their companions asked who had decreed the building and the builders' names; the work continued until a report reached Darius. Their letter described the house of great stones and timber, quoted the elders: Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed the house; Cyrus in his first year decreed its rebuilding and gave the vessels to Sheshbazzar, whom he made governor and who laid the foundation; since then it had been building. They asked that the royal archives in Babylon be searched.
Historical overview
Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: Darius I's reign, after the resumption (c. 520–519 BC)
"Beyond the River" (Akkadian Ebir-nāri) was the Persian province west of the Euphrates. A Babylonian document of 502 BC reportedly names a Tattannu governor of Ebir-nāri (Kidner via Guzik; Olmstead 1944, not read).[1, 2]
- Darius I (the Great): Recipient of the letter
Kingdoms: Achaemenid Persian Empire, Kingdom of Judah
Date and chronology derivation
Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.
520 BC – 515 BC
Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: undated
How this range was derived
Earliest bound
- “In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month” — Haggai and Zechariah stir the people; the Temple work resumes (Darius's second year, 520 BC) in regnal year reign of Darius I (the Great) (year 2) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Haggai 1:1)[3]Assumption: Babylonian Nisan-based regnal years (as for Ezra 6:15): year 2 = 3 April 520 – 22 March 519 (Parker & Dubberstein table). Month VI began 29 August 520, so 1/VI = 29 Aug and 24/VI (Hag 1:15) = 21 Sep 520.
- “At the same time Tattenai … came to them” — Tattenai governor of Beyond the River inquires and writes to Darius (Ezra 5:3–17) after Haggai and Zechariah stir the people; the Temple work resumes (Darius's second year, 520 BC) (Ezra 5:3)
Latest bound
- “This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king” — The rebuilt Temple completed on 3 Adar of Darius's sixth year (Ezra 6:15) in regnal year reign of Darius I (the Great) (year 6) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Ezra 6:15)[3]Assumption: Babylonian Nisan-based years: year 6 = spring 516 – spring 515, so Adar falls in Feb–Mar 515 (Parker & Dubberstein table).
- “They built and finished it, according to … the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes” — Darius I confirms Cyrus's decree and orders the Temple completed (Ezra 6:1–12) before The rebuilt Temple completed on 3 Adar of Darius's sixth year (Ezra 6:15) (Ezra 6:14–15)
- “Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made” — Tattenai governor of Beyond the River inquires and writes to Darius (Ezra 5:3–17) before Darius I confirms Cyrus's decree and orders the Temple completed (Ezra 6:1–12) (Ezra 6:1)
What else was happening? (model-independent)
- Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
- Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
- The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
- The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
- Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
- The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
- The rebuilt Temple completed on 3 Adar of Darius's sixth year (Ezra 6:15): 516 BC – 515 BC
- Darius I (the Great) (reign): 522 BC – 486 BC
- Darius I confirms Cyrus's decree and orders the Temple completed (Ezra 6:1–12): 520 BC – 515 BC
- Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
- Haggai and Zechariah stir the people; the Temple work resumes (Darius's second year, 520 BC): 520 BC – 519 BC
- Opposition from the people of the land; the Temple work ceases until Darius's second year (Ezra 4:1–5, 24): 537 BC – 519 BC
- Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?
- The returned exiles keep the Passover after the Temple's dedication (Ezra 6:19–22): 516 BC – 515 BC
- Haggai's oracles of 24/IX, Darius year 2: "from this day I will bless you"; Zerubbabel the signet: 520 BC – 519 BC
- Haggai's oracle on the latter glory of the house (21/VII, Darius year 2): 520 BC – 519 BC
- Zechariah's first oracle: the call to return (8th month, Darius year 2): 520 BC – 519 BC
- Zechariah's night visions (24 Shebat, Darius year 2; Zech 1:7–6:8): 520 BC – 519 BC
- Crowns made from the exiles' gifts and set on Joshua; the oracle of the Branch (Zech 6:9–15): 520 BC – 515 BC
- The Bethel delegation and the question of fasting; Zechariah's answer (4/IX, Darius year 4): 518 BC – 517 BC
- The first "burden" of Zechariah 9–11 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
- The second "burden" of Zechariah 12–14 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
Ancient and modern geography
Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.
| Place | Connection to this event | Location identification |
|---|---|---|
| JerusalemJerusalem (Old City / City of David) | Building inspectedLocation confidence: certain | Pleiades representative point: certain[4] |
Claims, evidence and classifications
Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.
A Tattenai (Tattannu) governor of Beyond the River (Ebir-nāri) is attested in a Babylonian document of 502 BC.
Kidner (via Guzik) reports a Babylonian record of 502 BC naming "Ta-at[-tan-ni] governor of Ebernari" — the name probably, the office certainly. Porten's Encyclopaedia Judaica entry cites Olmstead's article on him (JNES 3, 1944). The tablet and Olmstead's article were not read in this session, so the attestation is recorded as plausible, not corroborated.
Supporting
Context
- Article devoted to "Tattenai, Governor of Across the River" (not read).[5]Strength: indirect·title·Metadata verified
Limitations of this classification: Primary tablet publication and Olmstead (1944) not read. Wikipedia (discovery only) gives further details that were not verified.
Research date 2026-10-13
Tattenai's letter credits Sheshbazzar, not Zerubbabel, with laying the Temple's foundation (Ezra 5:16).
Ezra 5:16 and 1 Esd 6:20 name Sheshbazzar/Sanabassarus; Ezra 3:8–10 names Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The tension bears on the Sheshbazzar–Zerubbabel identity and the date of the foundation, both already under review; it is recorded here as a textual observation.
Context
Research date 2026-10-13
Evidence by type
The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.
Archaeological evidence
None recorded for this event.
Scientific findings
- Article devoted to "Tattenai, Governor of Across the River" (not read).[5]Bears on: context — “A Tattenai (Tattannu) governor of Beyond the River (Ebir-nāri) is atte…”
Ancient documents
- Sanabassarus laid the foundations of the Lord's house.[6]Bears on: context — “Tattenai's letter credits Sheshbazzar, not Zerubbabel, with laying the…”
Modern news and announcements
None recorded for this event.
Reference works and summaries
- Tattenai, governor of Beyond the River; cites Olmstead, JNES 3 (1944) 46.[1]Bears on: supporting — “A Tattenai (Tattannu) governor of Beyond the River (Ebir-nāri) is atte…”
Historical disputes and competing reconstructions
Related passages and events
| From | Relationship | To | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| this event | Followed byhigh · Biblical text | Darius I confirms Cyrus's decree and orders the Temple completed (Ezra 6:1–12) | Darius had the archives searched and confirmed Cyrus's decree (Ezra 6:1–12). |
| this event | Direct referencehigh · Biblical text | Cyrus's proclamation permitting the return and the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1; 6:3–5) | The elders appeal to Cyrus's first-year decree (5:13–15). |
| this event | Thematic parallelhigh · Biblical text | Ezra 3:8–10 | Ezra 3 credits Zerubbabel and Jeshua with the foundation that 5:16 credits to Sheshbazzar. |
Prophetic relationships
No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.
Commentary references
Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.
Guzik presents Tattenai as a fair administrator who preserved a copy of his letter, and notes the possible Babylonian attestation of his name and office (Kidner).[2]
Unanswered questions and research gaps
- Olmstead (1944) and the cuneiform tablet not read.
- Persian provincial administration of Ebir-nāri not researched.
Research process
4 logged searches
| Date | Query | Where | Useful |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | Enduring Word Ezra 5 (Kidner on the 502 BC tablet) | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | Encyclopaedia Judaica: Tattenai (Porten) | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | KEIBI: Olmstead 1944 | web fetch | 1 |
| 2026-10-13 | WEB 1 Esdras 6 | local text | 1 |
Sources
- 1.Porten, Bezalel. Tattenai — Encyclopaedia Judaica (via Encyclopedia.com). Encyclopaedia Judaica (2nd ed.), hosted by Encyclopedia.com. www.encyclopedia.comClaim checkedHistorical referenceReference entry; it cites Olmstead (JNES 3, 1944, 46) but does not itself describe the cuneiform tablet.Verification log
- 2.Guzik, David. Ezra 5 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log
- 3.Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
- 4.Pleiades contributors. Ierusalem/Hierosolyma — Pleiades place 687928. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 35.234978, lat 31.7771895.Verification log
- 5.Olmstead, A. T.. Tattenai, Governor of "Across the River". Journal of Near Eastern Studies 3 (1944), p. 46. keibi.uni-tuebingen.deMetadata verifiedScientific paperBibliographic record only (KEIBI, Tübingen). The article itself was not accessible in this session.Verification log
- 6.World English Bible (translators). World English Bible — Apocrypha/Deuterocanon (1 Esdras 6). eBible.org. ebible.orgClaim checkedAncient primary textGreek parallel to Ezra 5–6.Verification log