עזרא, פרק ה׳, פסוק ג׳

As the construction of the Temple resumed, government officials arrived at the site to investigate the sudden burst of activity. This encounter is seen as a reflection of God's providence. Instead of bitter enemies arriving to forcefully halt the building as had happened in the past, this was an official delegation merely seeking to verify the legal authority behind the work [מלבי״ם]. However, another perspective views the visit less favorably, suggesting it was a deliberate attempt to provoke the builders and gather information to inform on them [רש״י].

The delegation was led by Tatnai, the governor who ruled over the vast province beyond the Euphrates River. According to one tradition, he was an apostate Jew and the son of Rabshakeh [רס״ג]. He was accompanied by Shethar-bozenai, a man who likely served as his deputy [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], and whom some identify with figures known from the Book of Esther [רס״ג]. Alongside these two leaders came their colleagues, associates, and an entire faction of officials.

Upon arriving, the officials questioned the builders, asking who had issued the decree or granted them permission to build. This inquiry was rooted in recent history. A previous official order had explicitly halted all construction until new approval could be granted, and the original permission given years earlier by Cyrus had largely been forgotten by that time [רס״ג, מלבי״ם].

The officials directed their questions at two specific aspects of the project. First, they demanded to know who authorized the building of the house itself. Second, they questioned the authority to finish, establish, and complete the surrounding structures [מצודת דוד, רלב״ג]. The primary approach among commentators is that this second element refers to the foundations or brick walls. However, other perspectives suggest they were asking about a grand palace, a structure made of wooden beams [רס״ג], or the interior furnishings of the building [ביאור שטיינזלץ].