Ezra 4:11-24

11this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him:

“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now 12let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding 1the rebellious and evil city and 2are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, 3they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings. 14Now because we 4are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king, 15so that a search may be made in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces, and that they have incited revolt within it in past days; therefore that city was laid waste. 16We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River.”

17Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the River: “Peace. And now 18the document which you sent to us has been 56translated and read before me. 19A decree has been 7issued by me, and a search has been made and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it, 208that mighty kings have 9ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces 10beyond the River, and that 11tribute, custom and toll were paid to them. 21So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. 22Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?”

23Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.

24Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.