English Standard Version
Ezra 4:12
12be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
Ezra 4:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
- New International Version (NIV)The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls.
Context of Ezra 4:12
10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River. 11(This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) "To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,
Read all of Ezra 4Ezra 4:12 word by word
יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֣י יְהוּדָיֵ֗א דִּ֤י סְלִ֙קוּ֙ מִן־לְוָתָ֔ךְ עֲלֶ֥ינָא אֲת֖וֹ לִירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם קִרְיְתָ֨א מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א וּבִֽישְׁתָּא֙ בָּנַ֔יִן וְשׁוּרַיָּ֣א שַׁכְלִ֔ילוּ וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א יַחִֽיטוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Be itהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
- knownיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
- unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- that the Jewsיְהוּדַיyehûdâ'îy · JewH3062
- whichדִּיdîy · thatH1768
- came upסְלֵקseliq · to ascendH5559
- fromמִן־min · fromH4481
- theeלְוָתlevâth · withH3890
- to usעַל‛al · uponH5922
- are comeאֲתָה'âthâh 'âthâ' · to comeH858
- unto Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlêm · JerusalemH3390
- buildingבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
- the rebelliousמָרָדmârâd · rebelliousH4779
- and the badבִּאישׁbi'ûsh · badH873
- cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
- and have set upכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
- the wallsשׁוּרshûr · wallH7792
- and joinedחוּטchûţ · to repairH2338
- the foundationsאֹשׁ'ôsh · foundationH787
Cross-references for Ezra 4:12
- Ezra 4:15in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste.
- 2 Kings 18:20Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?
- 2 Kings 24:1In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Jeremiah 52:3For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
- Ezekiel 17:12"Say now to the rebellious house, Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes and brought them to him to Babylon.
- Luke 23:2And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king."
- Acts 24:5For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22Abstain from every form of evil.
- 1 Peter 2:13Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
- Psalms 48:1Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain,
- Isaiah 1:21How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers.
- Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
- Nehemiah 1:3And they said to me, "The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."
- Daniel 9:25Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Commentaries on Ezra 4:12
- 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. 1212. the Jews which came up from thee to us--The name "Jews" was generally used after the return from the captivity, because the returning exiles belonged chiefly to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Although the edict of Cyrus permitted all who chose to return, a permission of which some of the Israelites availed themselves, the great body who went to settle in Judea were the men of Judah.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 4:12
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries