Ezra 4:6-23

6Now in the reign of 12Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7And in the days of 3Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the 4text of the letter was written in Aramaic and translated 5from Aramaic. 86Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows-- 97Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and 8the rest of their colleagues, the judges and 9the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, 10and the rest of the nations which the great and honorable 10Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region beyond the Euphrates River. 11And now 11this is a copy of the letter which they sent to him:

“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men of the region beyond the Euphrates 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 12the rebellious and evil city and 13are 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, 14they will not pay tribute, custom tax, or toll, and it will 15be detrimental to the revenue of the kings. 14Now because we 16are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s shame, for this reason we have sent word and informed the king, 15so that a search may be conducted 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 detrimental to kings and provinces, and that they have revolted within it in past days; for this reason that city was laid waste. 16We are informing the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, then as a result of this you will have no possession in the province beyond the Euphrates River.”

17Then the king sent a response to Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the Euphrates River: “Peace. And now, 18the document which you sent to us has been 1718translated and read before me. 19And a decree has been 19issued by me, and a search has been conducted and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, and that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it, 2020that mighty kings have 21ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces 22beyond the Euphrates River, and that 23tribute, custom tax, and toll were paid to them. 21Now issue a decree to make those men stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. 22And beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should there be great damage, to the detriment of the kings?”

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