The Daily RootedHome StoriesGradesChurchesWhat's NewAbout
Bible:
Answer key (separate)‹ Back to chapter 5

Prints on letter paper in black and white. No answers are printed on the student sheet.

Ezra 5 · Grade 5

Under God's Watchful Eye

Name Date

Read and Think

Ezra 5 marks a turning point. The temple work had stood still since the days of Cyrus. God did not send a new decree from a king first; He sent His word through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Their messages, preserved in the books that bear their names, called the people to put God's house first. Zerubbabel and Jeshua responded, and the prophets stood with them.

The renewed work drew attention. Tattenai, the Persian governor beyond the River, came to ask who had authorized it and took the builders' names. Ezra notes that the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so the officials let the work go on while they wrote to Darius.

The letter preserves the Jews' testimony. They said they were servants of the God of heaven and earth, rebuilding a house that a great king of Israel had built. They confessed that their fathers' sin had led to the exile. They pointed to Cyrus's decree and the returned vessels, and they asked that the archives be searched. The builders answered with honesty and humility, trusting God to defend His own work.

Show What You Know

  1. What did God send first to restart the work?

  2. What did Tattenai record?

  3. Why did the officials let the work continue?

  4. What did the Jews confess about the exile?

  5. How did the builders answer?

Crossword

2413

Across

  1. A prophet who helped the builders.
  2. Leaders of the Jews.

Down

  1. What they began to do again.
  2. We are the servants of the God of ____ and earth
  3. the ____ of their God was on the elders of the Jews

Think About It

  1. The builders explained their faith honestly to a powerful official. How can you speak about your faith with honesty and humility?

  2. God restarted the work by His word. How does reading God's word encourage you to obey Him?

Memory Verse

“But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they didn’t make them cease until the matter should come to Darius, and an answer should be returned by letter concerning it.”

Ezra 5:5 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for watching over me. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How does God watch over His people today?
  • Who could you encourage this week?
  • What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.