Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah ... Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavoured by every means to molest the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building; and though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatigably plied at court, they laboured to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in those underhand dealings was great; because Cyrus, being frequently absent, and much absorbed in his warlike expeditions, left the government in the hands of his son, who afterward succeeded him on the throne, but with whom, as he followed the religious policy of his father, their artful and malignant representations had no effect. The same arts were assiduously practiced during the reign of Cambyses' successor, Smerdis, down to the time of Darius Hystaspes. In consequence of the difficulties and obstacles thus interposed for a period of twenty years, the progress of the work was very slow. But this interruption was not occasioned by any obstacles thrown in the way of the undertaking by unfavourable edicts from Cyrus and his court. It was owing entirely to the dilatory conduct of the Jewish immigrants themselves, for which they were severely rebuked by Haggai (1:1-6).