# Day 192

# The Rebuilding Begins

Ezra 2:70–3:13

The Jews returned to the ruined city. The priests, Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem. The others lived in towns nearby.

After seven months, Jeshua and Zerubbabel, began to build the altar. Jeshua was the priest. Zerubbabel was the leader of the rebuilding work. They found the place of the first altar on Mount Moriah. Here, long before, Abraham had offered his son Isaac, King David had sacrificed to God, and Solomon built the first temple. The returned captives burned offerings here morning and night.

Soon work began on the temple. Builders cleared the rubble and laid the building’s foundation. The priests were there with trumpets. The Levites had cymbals. They sang this song to the Lord: “For he is good, for his steady love lasts forever toward Israel.”

All the people praised the Lord for laying the foundation. Many were old people. They’d seen the first temple at this place. These people wept when they saw the new foundation. Others shouted for joy. The sound of weeping blended with the shouting and was heard far away.

Questions: Where was the altar built? Why were people weeping when the foundation was laid?