Ezra 4:18

Ezra 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
• New International Version (NIV)The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence.
• English Standard Version (ESV)the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me.

Context of Ezra 4:18

16We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates. 17The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings. The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. 19I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. 20Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.

Ezra 4:18 word by word

נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֕א דִּ֥י שְׁלַחְתּ֖וּן עֲלֶ֑ינָא מְפָרַ֥שׁ קֱרִ֖י קָדָמָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The letterנִשְׁתְּוָןnishtevân · letterH5407
• which ye sentשְׁלַחshelach · to sendH7972
• unto usעַל‛al · uponH5922
• hath been plainlyפְּרַשׁperash · to make clearH6568
• readקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
• beforeקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925

Commentaries on Ezra 4:18

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Hath been … read - It is doubtful if the Persian monarchs could ordinarily read. At any rate, it was their habit to have documents read to them (compare Esther 6:1). This is still the ordinary practice in Eastern courts.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. 18The letter was translated from Aramaic into Persian, which was the king's native language.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-247. in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, &c.--The three officers named are supposed to have been deputy governors appointed by the king of Persia over all the provinces subject to his empire west of the Euphrates. the Syrian tongue--or Aramæan language, called sometimes in our version, Chaldee. This was made use of by the Persians in their decrees and communications relative to the Jews (compare 2Ki 18:26; Is 36:11). The object of their letter was to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:18

• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Darius
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Rehum
• Shimshai

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