The exiles were rescued from exile in Babylon in order to rebuild the temple of the Lord (Ezra 1:2). In small groups they came back to the land of Judah under the leadership of different men (Ezra 2:2). Once everyone had arrived, under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua, they began the work of rebuilding the temple. First, they ensured the altar was built on the right place (Ezra 3:1–6), and then they laid the foundation stones of the temple (Ezra 3:7–13). However, the people living around them did not like what they were doing and so opposed the people of Israel, which caused them to stop their work of rebuilding (Ezra 4:1–5; Ezra 4:24).
1 Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them.