Ezra 4:20

Ezra 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
• New International Version (NIV)Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them.

Context of Ezra 4:20

18People 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. In 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. 21Now you must command these people to stop their work. They must not build the city again until I decide to let them do it. 22You must be very careful to make sure that they stop. We do not want the danger to our kingdom to become any greater. Our authority to rule them as kings must continue.’

Ezra 4:20 word by word

וּמַלְכִ֣ין תַּקִּיפִ֗ין הֲווֹ֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין בְּכֹ֖ל עֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֑ה וּמִדָּ֥ה בְל֛וֹ וַהֲלָ֖ךְ מִתְיְהֵ֥ב לְהֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• There have beenהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• mightyתַּקִּיףtaqqîyph · strongH8624
• kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• also overעַל‛al · uponH5922
• Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlêm · JerusalemH3390
• which have ruledשַׁלִּיטshallîyţ · rulingH7990
• over allכֹּלkôl · allH3606
• beyondעֲבַר‛ăbar · beyondH5675
• the riverנְהַרnehar · RiverH5103
• and tollמִנְדָּהmiddâh mindâh · tributeH4061
• tributeבְּלוֹbelô · tributeH1093
• and customהֲלָךְhălâk · tollH1983
• was paidיְהַבyehab · to giveH3052

Cross-references for Ezra 4:20

• 1 Kings 4:21Solomon ruled over all the nations from the Euphrates river to the land of the Philistines, as far as Egypt's border. The people of these kingdoms paid taxes to Solomon. They served him all the days of his life.
• 1 Chronicles 18:3David also won a battle against Hadadezer, king of Zobah. He won land as far as Hamath. That happened when Hadadezer took his army to the Euphrates river to show that he had authority there.
• Psalms 72:8May the king rule everywhere, from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates river to the ends of the earth.
• Ezra 4:16So 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.’
• Genesis 15:18On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Abram. The Lord promised, ‘I give this land to your descendants. The land starts from the river of Egypt and continues as far as the River Euphrates.
• Joshua 1:3I have given to you every part of the ground that you walk on. I promised Moses that I would do this.
• 1 Chronicles 18:6David put some of his soldiers in Damascus to keep his authority over the Syrian people. They had to pay taxes to King David. The Lord helped David to win all the battles that he fought.
• 1 Chronicles 19:19The kings who were under King Hadadezer's authority saw that Israel had won the battle. So they made an agreement with David that they would not fight against Israel any more. They agreed to be under David's authority. After that, the Syrians would no longer agree to help the Ammonites.
• 2 Chronicles 9:14He also received money from traders and from people who travelled to buy things. The kings of Arabia and the rulers of each region in Israel also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
• 2 Chronicles 17:11Some Philistines brought silver and other gifts to Jehoshaphat to make him happy. People from Arabia also brought gifts to him. They brought 7,700 male sheep and 7,700 male goats.
• 2 Chronicles 26:7God helped him to win battles against the Philistines, against the Arabs who lived in Gur-Baal, and against the Meunites.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Beyond the river - That is, the Euphrates. Both David and Solomon carried their conquests beyond this river. See 2 Samuel 8:3, etc., and 1 Kings 4:21, where it is said, Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines; and unto the borders of Egypt.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Mighty kings … - If this reference can scarcely have been to David or Solomon (see marginal reference), of whom neither the Babylonian nor the Assyrian archives would be likely to have had any account - it would probably be to Menahem 2 Kings 15:16 and Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:6-7; 2 Chronicles 35:18).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. 19-20King Jehoiakim, who ruled from 609 to 598 BC, rebelled against Babylon around 601 BC. King Zedekiah, ruling from 597 to 586 BC, rebelled around 588 BC (see 2 Kings 25:2).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 4:20

• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Euphrates River, the River
• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Darius
• Endamage
• Governor
• Grow
• Hurt

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