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

16So 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. People have translated the letter that you sent to me. They read it for me to listen to. 19Then I commanded them to look in the old books. I have seen what the books say about Jerusalem. It is true that its people have always turned against the kings that ruled them. Since long ago, they have never obeyed their rulers. 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.

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