Ezra 4:22

Ezra 4:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
• New International Version (NIV)Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?

Context of Ezra 4:22

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. 21Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me. See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer. 23As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. 24Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra 4:22 word by word

וּזְהִירִ֥ין הֱו֛וֹ שָׁל֖וּ לְמֶעְבַּ֣ד עַל־דְּנָ֑ה לְמָה֙ יִשְׂגֵּ֣א חֲבָלָ֔א לְהַנְזָקַ֖ת מַלְכִֽין׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Take heedזְהַרzehar · to take heedH2095
• Take heedהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• now that ye failשָׁלוּshâlû shâlûth · neglectH7960
• not to doעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
• not to doעַל‛al · uponH5922
• thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• whyמָהmâh · what?H4101
• should damageחֲבָלchăbal · harmH2257
• growשְׂגָאώegâ' · to grow greatH7680
• to the hurtנְזַקnezaq · to suffer injuryH5142
• of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430

Cross-references for Ezra 4:22

• Ezra 4:13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.
• Esther 3:8Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, keeping themselves separate. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
• Esther 7:3Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:22

• 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. 11-22Ezra contains a copy in Aramaic of the letter sent to Artaxerxes and his response.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 4:22

• 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