Ezra 4

Enemies Hinder the Work

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 like you, we seekH1875 your GodH430; 3and we have been sacrificingH2076 to Him sinceH4480 the daysH3117 of 4EsarhaddonH634 kingH4428 of AssyriaH804, who broughtH5927 us upH5927 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 for the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478, 6justH3512 asH3512 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 bribedH5534 advisersH3289 againstH5921 them to frustrateH6565 their adviceH6098 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.

The Letter to King Artaxerxes

814RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 wroteH3790 a letterH104 againstH5922 JerusalemH3390 to KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783, as followsH3660-- 915RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and 16the restH7606 of their colleaguesH3675, the judgesH1784 and 17the lesserH671 governorsH671, the officialsH2967, the secretariesH670, the menH756 ofH756 ErechH756, the BabyloniansH896, the menH7801 ofH7801 SusaH7801, that is, the ElamitesH5962, 10and the restH7606 of the nationsH524 whichH1768 the greatH7229 and honorableH3358 18OsnapparH620 deportedH1541 and settledH3488 in the cityH7149 of SamariaH8115, and in the restH7606 of the regionH5675 beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103. 19And nowH3706 11thisH1836 is a copyH6573 of the letterH104 whichH1768 they sentH7972 to him:

“To KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783: Your servantsH5649, the menH606 of the regionH5675 beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103; and nowH3706 12let it beH3046 knownH3046 to the kingH4430 that the JewsH3062 whoH1768 cameH5559 upH5559 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 beH3046 knownH3046 to the kingH4430, that ifH2006 that cityH7149 is rebuiltH1124 and the wallsH7792 are finishedH3635, 22they will not payH5415 tributeH4061, customH1093 taxH1093, or tollH1983, and it will 23be detrimentalH5142 to the revenueH674 of the kingsH4430. 14NowH3705 becauseH6903H1768 we 24are in the serviceH4415 of the palaceH1965, and it is not fittingH749 for us to seeH2370 the king’sH4430 shameH6173, for thisH1836 reasonH5922 we have sentH7972 word and informedH3046 the kingH4430, 15soH1768 thatH1768 a searchH1240 may be conductedH1240 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 detrimentalH5142 to kingsH4430 and provincesH4083, and that they have revoltedH5648H849 withinH1459 it in pastH5957 daysH3118; for thisH1836 reasonH5922 that cityH7149 was laidH2718 wasteH2718. 16We are informingH3046 the kingH4430 that ifH2006 that cityH7149 is rebuiltH1124 and the wallsH7792 finishedH3635, then as a resultH6903 of thisH1836 you will haveH383 noH3809 possessionH2508 in the province beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103.”

The King Replies and Work Stops

17Then the kingH4430 sentH7972 a responseH6600 to RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and to the restH7606 of their colleaguesH3675 whoH1768 liveH3488 in SamariaH8115 and in the restH7606 of the provinces beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103: “PeaceH8001. And nowH3706, 18the documentH5407 whichH1768 you sentH7972 to us has been 2526translatedH6568 and readH7123 beforeH6925 me. 19And a decreeH2942 has been 27issuedH7761 by me, and a searchH1240 has been conductedH1240 and it has been discoveredH7912 that that cityH7149 has risenH5376 up againstH5922 the kingsH4430 in pastH5957 daysH3118, and that rebellionH4776 and revoltH849 have been perpetratedH5648 in it, 2028that mightyH8624 kingsH4430 have 29ruledH1934 overH5922 JerusalemH3390, governingH7990 allH3606 the provinces 30beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, and that 31tributeH4061, customH1093 taxH1093, and tollH1983 were paidH3052 to them. 21NowH3705 issueH7761 a decreeH2942 to make thoseH479 menH1400 stopH989 work, so that thisH1791 cityH7149 will not be rebuiltH1124 untilH5704 a decreeH2942 is issuedH7761 by me. 22And bewareH1934 of being negligentH7960 in carryingH5648 outH5648 thisH1836 matter; whyH4101 should there be greatH7680 damageH2257, to the detrimentH5142 of the kingsH4430?”

23ThenH116 as soonH4481H1768 as the copyH6573 of KingH4430 Artaxerxes’H783 decreeH5407 was readH7123 beforeH6925 RehumH7348 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 and their colleaguesH3675, they wentH236 in a hurryH924 to JerusalemH3390 to the JewsH3062 and stoppedH989 them by militaryH2429 forceH153.

24ThenH116 workH5673 on the houseH1005 of GodH426 in JerusalemH3390 was discontinuedH989, and it was stoppedH989 untilH5704 the secondH8648 yearH8140 of the reignH4437 of DariusH1868 kingH4430 of PersiaH6540.