Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.
In the second year after they returned to God's house in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak began the work. Along with them were the rest of their fellow priests and Levites, and everyone else who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem. They appointed all the Levites who were twenty years old and older to oversee the work of rebuilding the Lord's temple.
The writer is describing how the Jewish leaders organized everyone who returned from exile to begin rebuilding God's temple in Jerusalem, putting the Levites in charge of overseeing the construction work.
📚 Historical Context
This took place around 536 BC, about two years after the Jewish exiles returned from Babylon under Cyrus the Great's decree. Zerubbabel was the governor and Jeshua was the high priest, leading the community in rebuilding the temple that had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Levites were the tribe traditionally responsible for temple service and religious duties.
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