The prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the Jews, and then Zerubbabel and Jeshua rose up and began to rebuild the house of God. Ezra notes that the prophets of God were with them and supported them. See Ezra 5:1 and Ezra 5:2.
Ezra 5:1–2 explains how temple rebuilding restarted after a stalled period. Two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, speak to the Jewish community living in Judah and Jerusalem, presenting their message as authorized by the God of Israel. In response, the local leaders Zerubbabel and Jeshua take action and begin building God’s house in Jerusalem again. This brief report marks a turning point in Ezra’s restoration story. Earlier, temple work had begun but faced opposition and interruption; now the narrative shows a new trigger for progress: prophetic speech that leads directly to renewed action.
Ezra 5:1–2 presents a restart of temple construction that is directly connected to prophetic speech. Haggai and Zechariah address “the Jews” living in Judah and Jerusalem, and the narrative emphasizes that their message comes “in the name of the God of Israel”—that is, as a claim of divine authorization, not merely personal advice.
A common mistake is to treat this as trivia. Names, places, numbers, and sequence details often carry memory, covenant identity, or narrative movement in the biblical story.
Start with Ezra 5:1, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.
1Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [prophesied they] to them.