Ezra 4

Adversaries Hinder the Work

1When the enemiesH6862 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 heardH8085 thatH3588 the exilesH1121H1473 were buildingH1129 a templeH1964 for the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, 2they approachedH5066H413 ZerubbabelH2216H413 and the headsH7218 of the familiesH1, sayingH559, “Let us buildH1129 with youH5973 becauseH3588, like you, we seekH1875 your GodH430H587 and have been sacrificingH2076 to Him sinceH3808 the timeH3117 of KingH4428 Esar-haddonH634 of AssyriaH804, who broughtH5927 usH853 hereH6311.”

3But ZerubbabelH2216, JeshuaH3442, and the otherH7605 headsH7218 of the familiesH1 of IsraelH3478 repliedH559, “You have noH3808 part with us in buildingH1129 a houseH1004 for our GodH430, sinceH3588 weH587 aloneH3162 must buildH1129 it for the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, asH834 CyrusH3566 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539 has commanded usH6680.”

4ThenH1961 the peopleH5971 of the landH776 set out to discourageH7503H3027 the peopleH5971 of JudahH3063 and make them afraidH1089 to buildH1129. 5They hiredH7936 counselorsH3289 against themH5921 to frustrateH6565 their plansH6098 throughoutH3605 the reignH3117 of CyrusH3566 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539 and down toH5704 the reignH4438 of DariusH1867 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539.

Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6At the beginningH8462H4438 of the reignH4438 of XerxesH325,1 an accusationH7855 was lodgedH3789 againstH5921 the peopleH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389.

7And in the daysH3117 of ArtaxerxesH783 king of PersiaH6539, BishlamH1312, MithredathH4990, TabeelH2870, and the rest ofH7605 his associatesH3674 wroteH3789 a letter toH5921 ArtaxerxesH4428H783. It was writtenH3789 in AramaicH762 and then translatedH8638.2

8RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 wroteH3790 the letterH104 againstH5922 JerusalemH3390 to KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783 as followsH3660:

9

From RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and the restH7606 of their associatesH3675—the judgesH1784 and officialsH671 over TripolisH2967, PersiaH670, ErechH756 and BabylonH896, the ElamitesH5962 of SusaH7801, 10and the restH7606 of the peoplesH524 whomH1768 the greatH7229 and honorableH3358 AshurbanipalH6203 deportedH1541 and settledH3488H1994 in the citiesH7149 ofH1768 SamariaH8115 and elsewhereH7606 westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103H3706.4

11(ThisH1836 is the textH6573 of the letterH104H1768 they sentH7972 to himH5922.)

ToH5922 KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783,

From your servantsH5649, the menH606 westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103H3706:

12Let it beH1934 knownH3046 to the kingH4430 thatH1768 the JewsH3062 whoH1768 cameH5559 fromH4481 youH3890 to usH5922 have returnedH858 to JerusalemH3390 and are rebuildingH1124 that rebelliousH4779 and wickedH873 cityH7149. They are restoringH3635 its wallsH7792 and repairingH2338 its foundationsH787.

13Let it nowH3705 beH1934 knownH3046 to the kingH4430 thatH1768 ifH2006 thatH1791 cityH7149 is rebuiltH1124 and its wallsH7792 are restoredH3635, they will notH3809 payH5415 tributeH4061, dutyH1093, or tollH1983, and the royalH4430 treasuryH674 will sufferH5142.

14NowH3705 becauseH3606 we are in the serviceH4415 of the palaceH19655 and it is not fittingH3809H749 for us to allowH2370H5922H1836 the kingH4430 to be dishonoredH6173, we have sentH7972 to informH3046 the kingH4430 15thatH1768 a search should be madeH1240 of the recordH1799 booksH5609 ofH1768 your fathersH2. In these booksH5609 you will discoverH7912 and verifyH3046 thatH1768 the cityH7149 is a rebelliousH4779 cityH7149, harmfulH5142 to kingsH4430 and provincesH4083, incitingH5648 seditionH849 fromH4481 ancientH5957 timesH3118. That is whyH5922 thisH1836 cityH7149H1791 was destroyedH2718.

16WeH586 adviseH3046 the kingH4430 thatH1768 ifH2006 thisH1791 cityH7149 is rebuiltH1124 and its wallsH7792 are restoredH3635H6903H1836, you will haveH383 noH3809 dominionH2508 westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103.

The Decree of Artaxerxes

17Then the kingH4430 sentH7972 this replyH6600:

ToH5922 RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and the restH7606 of your associatesH3675H1768 livingH3488 in SamariaH8115 and elsewhereH7606 in the region westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103:

GreetingsH8001H3706.

18The letterH5407H1768 you sentH7972 usH5922 has been translatedH6568 and readH7123 in my presenceH6925. 19I issuedH4481H7761 a decreeH2942, and a search was conductedH1240. It was discoveredH7912 thatH1768 thisH1791H4481 cityH7149 has revoltedH5376 againstH5922 kingsH4430 from ancientH5957 timesH3118, engaging in rebellionH4776 and seditionH849H5648. 20And mightyH8624H1934 kingsH4430 have ruled overH5922 JerusalemH3390 and exercised authorityH7990 over the wholeH3606 region westH5675 of the EuphratesH5103; and tributeH4061, dutyH1093, and tollH1983 were paidH3052 to them.

21Now, thereforeH3705, issueH7761 an orderH2942 for theseH479 menH1400 to stopH989, so that thisH1791 cityH7149 will notH3809 be rebuiltH1124 untilH5705 IH4481 so orderH2942H7761. 22See that youH2095H1934 do not neglectH7960H5648H5922 this matterH1836. WhyH4101 allow this threatH2257 to increaseH7680 and the royalH4430 interests to sufferH5142?

23WhenH116H4481H1768 the textH6573 of the letterH5407 from KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783 was readH7123 toH6925 RehumH7348, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and their associatesH3675, they wentH236 immediatelyH924 toH5922 the JewsH3062 in JerusalemH3390 and forciblyH153H2429 stoppedH989 themH1994.

24ThusH116 the constructionH5673 of the houseH1005 of GodH426H1768 in JerusalemH3390 ceasedH989, and it remainedH1934 at a standstillH989 untilH5705 the secondH8648 yearH8140 of the reignH4437 of DariusH1868 kingH4430 of PersiaH6540.