Ezra 4:16

Ezra 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
• New International Version (NIV)We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
• English Standard Version (ESV)We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."
• New King James Version (NKJV)We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.

Context of Ezra 4:16

14We serve you as our king. We do not want you to lose honour. So we have sent this letter to you. 15You should look for the books where your ancestors recorded news about Jerusalem. Then you will read many bad things about this city. You will see that its people have always turned against their rulers. Since long ago, they have not obeyed the kings or the region's officers. It is because they are so wicked that Babylon's army destroyed the city. So we are telling the king that you should not let these people build up this city again, with its walls. If they do that, you will no longer have any authority in this region that is west of the Euphrates river.’ 17The king of Persia sent this reply: ‘To Rehum, my ruler, Shimshai, his officer, and all their friends in Samaria and in other parts of the region west of the Euphrates river. I thank you for your news. 18People have translated the letter that you sent to me. They read it for me to listen to.

Ezra 4:16 word by word

מְהוֹדְעִ֤ין אֲנַ֙חְנָה֙ לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֠י הֵ֣ן קִרְיְתָ֥א דָךְ֙ תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן לָקֳבֵ֣ל דְּנָ֔ה חֲלָק֙ בַּעֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֔א לָ֥א אִיתַ֖י לָֽךְ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Weאֲנַ֫חְנָא'ănachnâ' 'ănachnâh · weH586
• certifyיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• that, ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
• thisדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
• be buildedבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
• and the wallsשׁוּרshûr · wallH7792
• thereof set upכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
• by thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• meansקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · beforeH6903
• thou shalt haveאִיתַי'îythay · there isH383
• noלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• portionחֲלָקchălâq · portionH2508
• on this sideעֲבַר‛ăbar · beyondH5675
• the riverנְהַרnehar · RiverH5103

Cross-references for Ezra 4:16

• Ezra 4:20In the past, powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and all the region west of the Euphrates river. They received many kinds of taxes from the people there.
• 2 Samuel 8:3David also won a battle against Rehob's son, Hadadezer, king of Zobah. This happened when Hadadezer took his army to the Euphrates river to show that he had authority there.
• 1 Kings 4:24Solomon ruled all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates river, from Tiphsah as far as Gaza. There was peace in all these places.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:16

• 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. 15-16The Persians had access to Babylonian records, which described Jerusalem’s revolts against Nebuchadnezzar (see 2 Kings 24:1–7). The claim that the Persians would lose the entire province west of the Euphrates was an exaggeration. The Jews were actually a small minority in that province.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 4:16

• Accusation, False
• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Euphrates River, the River
• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Rehum
• 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