Here's how one author addresses that chapter (Ezra 4)... brief excerpt:
"The chapter then closes with the statement, “Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (
Ezra 4:24). This last verse, however, connects itself with verse 5, and gives the result of the enemy’s opposition of which verses 4 and 5 contain a general summary. The parenthesis
[which he's calling vv.6-23, I think] gives the details of the way in which Artaxerxes was prevailed upon to issue his decree."
--Edward B. Dennett, Bible Truth Publishers -
https://www.bibletruthpublishers.co...on-ezra-4/edward-b-dennett/e-dennett/la146718 [bracketed insert mine]
[and from an earlier paragraph...]
"It will be perceived that these two verses (4 and 5) are a summary of the activity of the foes of Israel during the reigns of Cyrus, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes; and that therefore verse 24 is connected with verse 5
[re: v.3's "build an house unto our God"], the intervening passage being a parenthesis which gives an account of the way in which the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin succeeded in their designs. Moreover it would seem, from a careful comparison of the prophecies of Haggai with this chapter that the children of Israel ceased to build long before the prohibition was obtained; for it is evident from
Haggai 2:15 that they had made but little, if any, progress after the foundation was completed."
--Edward B. Dennett, Bible Truth Publishers [same article; bracketed insert mine]
[the way I understand it is that
Cyrus's decree had to do with "build A HOUSE" / "the house of the Lord"]