The Feast of Tabernacles Observed
2 Ezra 3, verse 1. And when the seventh month had come and the children of Israel were in their cities, the people gathered together as one person in Jerusalem. 2 Ezra 3, verse 2. Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 2 Ezra 3, verse 3. And they set up the altar on the place, for fear had come upon them because of the neighboring peoples of the land, and they offered whole burnt offerings upon it to the Lord, both morning and evening. 2 Ezra 3, verse 4. They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day. 2 Ezra 3, verse 5. Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord. 2 Ezra 3, verse 6. On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer whole burnt offerings to the Lord, although the foundation of the house of the Lord had not yet been laid. 2 Ezra 3, verse 7. They also gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the permission which they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
Temple Restoration Begins
2 Ezra 3, verse 8. Now in the second month of the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began the work, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites, and all those returning from exile to Jerusalem. They appointed the Levites from twenty years and above to oversee the work of the house of the Lord. 2 Ezra 3, verse 9. And Jeshua with his sons and brothers, and Kadmiel with his sons, and the sons of Judah arose to oversee those working on the house of God: the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their brethren the Levites. 2 Ezra 3, verse 10. And they laid the foundation for the building of the house of the Lord. And the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. 2 Ezra 3, verse 11. And they sang antiphonally in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord that He is good, that His mercy is upon Israel forever. And all the people shouted with a loud voice to give praise to the Lord, for the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 2 Ezra 3, verse 12. But many of the priests and the Levites and the elders and the heads of the father's houses, who had seen the first temple on its foundation and with their own eyes saw this house, wept with a loud voice. But the multitude, shouting with joy and gladness, lifted up their voices in song, 2 Ezra 3, verse 13. and the people could not distinguish the shouting voices of joy and gladness from the wailing of the people weeping, for the people shouted out with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.