Ezra 4:6

Ezra 4:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
• New International Version (NIV)At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
• New King James Version (NKJV)In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

Context of Ezra 4:6

4Then the people who lived near them tried to make Judah's people afraid. They tried to stop them building. 5They paid bribes to government officers to work against the Israelite builders. Then they could not do the work. They continued to do this all the time that King Cyrus ruled Persia, until Darius became king. When Xerxes became king of Persia, Judah's enemies wrote a letter to him. They said that the people who lived in Jerusalem and the rest of Judah were doing a bad thing. 7Later, when Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and their friends wrote a letter to him. They wrote it in the Aramaic language. People translated it for the king to understand. 8Rehum, the city's ruler, and Shimshai, his officer, wrote this letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes. This is what it said:

Ezra 4:6 word by word

וּבְמַלְכוּת֙ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת מַלְכוּת֑וֹ כָּתְב֣וּ שִׂטְנָ֔ה עַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And in the reignמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
• of Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
• in the beginningתְּחִלָּהtechillâh · beginningH8462
• wroteכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• an accusationשִׂטְנָהώiţnâh · accusationH7855
• against the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• and Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389

Cross-references for Ezra 4:6

• Matthew 27:37Above his head they fixed a notice. This showed the reason why they were killing him. It said, ‘This man is Jesus, the king of the Jews.’
• Acts 24:5We know that this man brings trouble everywhere. Anywhere in the world that Jewish people live, he makes them angry. Then they all fight each other. He is the leader of a group called the Nazarenes.’
• Acts 25:7Some of the Jewish leaders had also come from Jerusalem. When Paul came into the room, they all stood round him. They began to speak to Festus against Paul. They said that he had done very many bad things. But they could not show Festus that these things were really true.
• Revelation 12:10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven that said: ‘Now God has saved his people from Satan's power! God has shown his great power as King. His Messiah has authority to rule. Satan said bad things against our people. He never stopped telling our God that our brothers and sisters are guilty. But now God has thrown him out of heaven.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6In the reign of Ahasuerus - This is the person who is called Cambyses by the Greeks. He reigned seven years and five months; and during the whole of that time the building of the temple was interrupted.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Ahasuerus - Or, Cambyses, the son and successor of Cyrus. Persian kings had often two names.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. 6-23These verses discuss later opposition to Jewish rebuilding efforts. They actually relate to events during the reign of: Xerxes in 486 to 465 BC Artaxerxes I in 465 to 424 BC However, they are included here because they match the theme of opposition. Chronologically, Ezra 4:6 fits between chapters 6 and 7, while 4:7–23 fits before Nehemiah 1.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they ... an accusation--Ahasuerus was a regal title, and the king referred to was successor of Darius, the famous Xerxes.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:6

• Accusation, False
• Joshua

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Jerusalem
• Judah
• Ahasuerus; Asseurus
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Certify
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow

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