Ezra 4:8-22

81RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942 and ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613 wroteH3790 a letterH104 againstH5922 JerusalemH3390 to KingH4430 ArtaxerxesH783, as followsH3660-- 92RehumH7348 the commanderH1169H2942, ShimshaiH8124 the scribeH5613, and 3the restH7606 of their colleaguesH3675, the judgesH1784 and 4the 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 5OsnapparH620 deportedH1541 and settledH3488 in the cityH7149 of SamariaH8115, and in the restH7606 of the regionH5675 beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103. 6And 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 7the rebelliousH4779 and evilH873 cityH7149 and 8are 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, 9they will not payH5415 tributeH4061, customH1093 taxH1093, or tollH1983, and it will 10be detrimentalH5142 to the revenueH674 of the kingsH4430. 14NowH3705 becauseH6903H1768 we 11are 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.”

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 1213translatedH6568 and readH7123 beforeH6925 me. 19And a decreeH2942 has been 14issuedH7761 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, 2015that mightyH8624 kingsH4430 have 16ruledH1934 overH5922 JerusalemH3390, governingH7990 allH3606 the provinces 17beyondH5675 the Euphrates RiverH5103, and that 18tributeH4061, 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?”