Ezra 5:16

16 So this same Sheshbatzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Yerushalayim; it has been under construction ever since, and it isn't finished yet.

Ezra 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 5:16

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the
house of God which is in Jerusalem
Which makes it clear, that by Sheshbazzar is meant Zerubbabel; for he it was that laid the foundation of the temple, or at least by whose order it was laid, see ( Zechariah 4:9 )

and since that time even until now;
from the first of Cyrus to the second of Darius, a space of about eighteen years, and just seventy from the destruction of the temple:

hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished;
the work going on slowly, not without interruption and intermission, through the enmity of the Samaritans unto them, who had made false representations of them; but these men, Tatnai and those with him, as the Jews gave them a very particular account of things, as above, so they fairly and fully related them in this their letter to the king.

Ezra 5:16 In-Context

14 Moreover, the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which N'vukhadnetzar had removed from the temple in Yerushalayim and brought to the temple of Bavel, Koresh the king took out of the temple in Bavel; they were turned over to a man named Sheshbatzar, whom he had appointed governor.

15 He said to him, "Take these articles, go, put them in the temple in Yerushalayim, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site."

16 So this same Sheshbatzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Yerushalayim; it has been under construction ever since, and it isn't finished yet.

17 "'Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the royal treasury there in Bavel to determine whether a decree was issued by Koresh the king to rebuild this house of God in Yerushalayim; and let the king send us his decision concerning this matter.'"