Ezra 4:13

Ezra 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
• New International Version (NIV)Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.

Context of Ezra 4:13

11(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates: 12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations. Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. 14Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king 15that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.

Ezra 4:13 word by word

כְּעַ֗ן יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֠י הֵ֣ן קִרְיְתָ֥א דָךְ֙ תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן מִנְדָּֽה־בְל֤וֹ וַהֲלָךְ֙ לָ֣א יִנְתְּנ֔וּן וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם מַלְכִ֖ים תְּהַנְזִֽק׃Read the interlinear

• Let it nowכְּעַןke‛an · nowH3705
• beהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• thatדִּיdîy · thatH1768
• ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
• thatדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
• is rebuiltבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
• and its wallsשׁוּרshûr · wallH7792
• are restoredכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
• they will notלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• payנְתַןnethan · to give: payH5415
• tributeמִנְדָּהmiddâh mindâh · tributeH4061
• dutyבְּלוֹbelô · tributeH1093
• or tollהֲלָךְhălâk · tollH1983
• treasuryאַפְּתֹם'appethôm · revenueH674
• will sufferנְזַקnezaq · to suffer injuryH5142

Cross-references for Ezra 4:13

• Nehemiah 5:4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
• Psalms 52:2Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.
• Psalms 119:69Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
• Ezra 7:24And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
• Matthew 9:9As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.
• Matthew 17:25“Yes,” he answered. When Peter entered the house, Jesus preempted him. “What do you think, Simon?” He asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs and taxes: from their own sons, or from others?”
• Romans 13:6This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Toll, tribute, and custom - The first term is supposed to imply the capitation tax; the second, an excise on commodities and merchandise; the third, a sort of land tax. Others suppose the first means a property tax; the second, a poll tax; and the third, what was paid on imports and exports. In a word, if you permit these people to rebuild and fortify their city, they will soon set you at naught, and pay you no kind of tribute.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Toll, tribute, and custom - Rather, “tribute, provision, and toll” (so Ezra 4:20). The “tribute” is the money-tax imposed on each province, and apportioned to the inhabitants by the local authorities; the “provision” is the payment in kind, which was an integral part of the Persian system; the “tolI” is probably a payment required from those who used the Persian highways. The revenue - The word thus translated is not found elsewhere, and can only be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-24Verses 6-24 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13A tribute was a yearly set tax. Customs were likely sales taxes, and tolls were probably fees for using roads. Earlier rulers had gathered significant revenue from the region (Ezra 4:20; compare 1 Kings 10:14–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. toll, tribute, and custom--The first was a poll tax; the second was a property tax; the third the excise dues on articles of trade and merchandise. Their letter, and the edict that followed, commanding an immediate cessation of the work at the city walls, form the exclusive subject of narrative at Ezr 4:7-23. And now from this digression [the historian] returns at Ezr 4:24 to resume the thread of his narrative concerning the building of the temple.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:13

• Accusation, False
• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Rehum
• Toll
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language

Commentaries on Ezra 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings