Ezra 4:1-15

1Now when 1the enemiesH6862 of JudahH3063 and BenjaminH1144 heardH8085 that 2the peopleH1121 of the exileH1473 were buildingH1129 a templeH1964 to the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, 2they approachedH5066 ZerubbabelH2216 and the headsH7218 of fathers’H1 households, and saidH559 to them, “Let us buildH1129 with you, for we, like you, seekH1875 your GodH430; 3and we have been sacrificingH2076 to Him sinceH4480 the daysH3117 of 4EsarhaddonH634 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, who broughtH5927 us up hereH6311.” 3But ZerubbabelH2216 and JeshuaH3091 and the restH7605 of the headsH7218 of fathers’H1 households of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to them, “5You have nothingH3808 in common with us in buildingH1129 a houseH1004 to our GodH430; but we ourselvesH587 will togetherH3162 buildH1129 to the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, 6as KingH4428 CyrusH3566, the kingH4428 of PersiaH6539 has commandedH6680 us.”

4Then 7the peopleH5971 of the landH776 8discouragedH7503H3027 the peopleH5971 of JudahH3063, and frightenedH1089 them from buildingH1129, 5and hiredH5534 counselorsH3289 againstH5921 them to frustrateH6565 their counselH6098 allH3605 the daysH3117 of CyrusH3566 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539, even untilH5704 the reignH4438 of DariusH1867 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539.

6Now in the reignH4438 of 910AhasuerusH325, in the beginningH8462 of his reignH4438, they wroteH3789 an accusationH7855 againstH5921 the inhabitantsH3427 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389.

7And in the daysH3117 of 11ArtaxerxesH783, BishlamH1312, MithredathH4990, TabeelH2870 and the restH7605 of his colleaguesH3674 wroteH3789 to ArtaxerxesH783 kingH4428 of PersiaH6539; and the 12textH3791 of the letterH5406 was writtenH3789 in AramaicH762 and translatedH8638 13from AramaicH762. 814RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 wroteH3790 a letterH104 againstH5922 JerusalemH3390 to KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783, as followsH3660-- 9thenH116 wrote RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 and 15the restH7606 of their colleaguesH3675, the judgesH1784 and 16the lesserH671 governorsH671, the officialsH2967, the secretariesH670, the menH756 of ErechH756, the BabyloniansH896, the menH7801 of SusaH7801, that is, the ElamitesH5962, 10and the restH7606 of the nationsH524 whichH1768 the greatH7229 and honorableH3358 17OsnapparH620 deportedH1541 and settledH3488 in the cityH7149 of SamariaH8115, and in the restH7606 of the regionH5675 beyondH5675 the 18RiverH5103. 19NowH3706 11thisH1836 is the copyH6573 of the letterH104 whichH1768 they sentH7972 to him:

“To KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783: Your servantsH5649, the menH606 in the regionH5675 beyondH5675 the RiverH5103, and nowH3706 12let it be knownH3046 to the kingH4430 that the JewsH3062 whoH1768 cameH5559 up from you have comeH858 to us at JerusalemH3390; they are rebuildingH1124 20the rebelliousH4779 and evilH873 cityH7149 and 21are finishingH3635 the wallsH7792 and repairingH2338 the foundationsH787. 13NowH3705 let it be knownH3046 to the kingH4430, that ifH2006 that cityH7149 is rebuiltH1124 and the wallsH7792 are finishedH3635, 22they will not payH5415 tributeH4061, customH1093 or tollH1983, and it will damageH5142 the revenueH674 of the kingsH4430. 14NowH3705 becauseH3606H6903H1768 we 23are in the serviceH4415 of the palaceH1965, and it is not fittingH749 for us to seeH2370 the king’sH4430 dishonorH6173, thereforeH5922H1836 we have sentH7972 and informedH3046 the kingH4430, 15soH1768 that a searchH1240 may be madeH5648 in the recordH1799 booksH5609 of your fathersH2. And you will discoverH7912 in the recordH1799 booksH5609 and learnH3046 that that cityH7149 is a rebelliousH4779 cityH7149 and damagingH5142 to kingsH4430 and provincesH4083, and that they have incitedH5648 revoltH849 withinH1459 it in pastH5957 daysH3118; thereforeH5922H1836 that cityH7149 was laidH2718 wasteH2718.