Shethar-bozenai

Shethar-bozenai, a Persian official who questioned the legitimacy of the Jews' efforts to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Shethar-bozenai was a Persian official who, along with Tattenai the governor and their associates, questioned the Jews' authority to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (Ezr 5:3). They sent a letter to King Darius, inquiring about the legitimacy of the Jews' actions (Ezr 5:6). In response, Darius issued a decree confirming the Jews' right to rebuild the temple and instructing Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues not to interfere (Ezr 6:6). Upon receiving the king's decree, Shethar-bozenai and the others diligently carried out the order, allowing the Jews to continue their work on the temple (Ezr 6:13). Shethar-bozenai's actions demonstrate the challenges faced by the Jews in their efforts to restore their religious and cultural identity after the Babylonian exile, as well as the role of Persian authorities in shaping the course of Jewish history during this period.