Ezra 4:16

Ezra 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
• New International Version (NIV)We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
• English Standard Version (ESV)We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."
• New King James Version (NKJV)We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.

Context of Ezra 4:16

14In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this information 15so that he may initiate a search of the records of his predecessors and discover in those records that this city is rebellious and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts from long ago. It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.” 17The king sent the following response: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! 18The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence.

Ezra 4:16 word by word

מְהוֹדְעִ֤ין אֲנַ֙חְנָה֙ לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֠י הֵ֣ן קִרְיְתָ֥א דָךְ֙ תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן לָקֳבֵ֣ל דְּנָ֔ה חֲלָק֙ בַּעֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֔א לָ֥א אִיתַ֖י לָֽךְ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Weאֲנַ֫חְנָא'ănachnâ' 'ănachnâh · weH586
• certifyיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• that, ifהֵןhên · ifH2006
• thisדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
• be buildedבְּנָהbenâ' benâh · to buildH1124
• and the wallsשׁוּרshûr · wallH7792
• thereof set upכְּלַלkelal · to completeH3635
• by thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• meansקֳבֵלqebêl qŏbêl · beforeH6903
• thou shalt haveאִיתַי'îythay · there isH383
• noלָאlâ' lâh · notH3809
• portionחֲלָקchălâq · portionH2508
• on this sideעֲבַר‛ăbar · beyondH5675
• the riverנְהַרnehar · RiverH5103

Cross-references for Ezra 4:16

• Ezra 4:20Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.
• 2 Samuel 8:3David defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah when he came to reestablish his authority over the Euphrates River.
• 1 Kings 4:24His royal court was so large because he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River from Tiphsah to Gaza; he was at peace with all his neighbors.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:16

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-24Verses 6-24 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16The Persians had access to Babylonian records, which described Jerusalem’s revolts against Nebuchadnezzar (see 2 Kings 24:1–7). The claim that the Persians would lose the entire province west of the Euphrates was an exaggeration. The Jews were actually a small minority in that province.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-247. in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, &c.--The three officers named are supposed to have been deputy governors appointed by the king of Persia over all the provinces subject to his empire west of the Euphrates. the Syrian tongue--or Aramæan language, called sometimes in our version, Chaldee. This was made use of by the Persians in their decrees and communications relative to the Jews (compare 2Ki 18:26; Is 36:11). The object of their letter was to…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 4:16

• Accusation, False
• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Euphrates River, the River
• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Rehum
• Aramaic; Aramaic Language

Commentaries on Ezra 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings