V.2 These enemies approach the faithful Jews with deceit.
V.3 A good answer.
V.4-6 But the enemy tries another method.
V.7-16 A letter written to king Artaxerxes, where the Jews had been for 70 years, making complaint against these Jews.
V.17-24 A reply now comes back from the king and it is ordered that the work must be stopped. How strange this seems, for it was truly a work of the Lord, and yet the enemy succeeded in stopping it. But if we turn to the book of Haggai, we shall find that there was an inward reason for this. Haggai 1:2, 4, 9 tell a sad story. Once they had laid the foundation of the house they began to neglect this work, and turned to building their own homes instead. If we are unfaithful, the Lord may allow the enemy to attack us.