New English Translation
Ezra 4:23
23Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped them with threat of armed force.
Ezra 4:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
- New International Version (NIV)As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.
Context of Ezra 4:23
21Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct. 22Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?” Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped them with threat of armed force. 24So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.
Read all of Ezra 4Ezra 4:23 word by word
אֱדַ֗יִן מִן־דִּ֞י פַּרְשֶׁ֤גֶן נִשְׁתְּוָנָא֙ דִּ֚י אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣שְׂתְּ מַלְכָּ֔א קֱרִ֧י קֳדָם־רְח֛וּם וְשִׁמְשַׁ֥י סָפְרָ֖א וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן אֲזַ֨לוּ בִבְהִיל֤וּ לִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ עַל־יְה֣וּדָיֵ֔א וּבַטִּ֥לוּ הִמּ֖וֹ בְּאֶדְרָ֥ע וְחָֽיִל׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Nowאֱדַ֫יִן'ĕdayin · thenH116
- whenדִּיdîy · thatH1768
- whenמִן־min · fromH4481
- the copyפַּרְשֶׁ֫גֶןparshegen · copyH6573
- of kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
- Artaxerxes’אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא'artachshashtâ' 'artachshasht' · ArtaxerxesH783
- letterנִשְׁתְּוָןnishtevân · letterH5407
- readקְרָאqerâ' · to readH7123
- beforeקֳדָםqŏdâm qedâm · beforeH6925
- Rehumרְחוּםrechûm · RehumH7348
- and Shimshaiשִׁמְשַׁיshimshay · ShimshaiH8124
- the scribeסָפִרsâphêr · scribeH5613
- and their companionsכְּנָתkenâth · associateH3675
- they went upאֲזַל'ăzal · to goH236
- in hasteבְּהִילוּbehîylû · hastilyH924
- to Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlêm · JerusalemH3390
- untoעַל‛al · uponH5922
- the Jewsיְהוּדַיyehûdâ'îy · JewH3062
- and made themהִמּוֹhimmô himmôn · theyH1994
- to ceaseבְּטֵלbeţêl · to ceaseH989
- by forceאֶדְרַע'edrâ‛ · forceH153
- and powerחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2429
Cross-references for Ezra 4:23
- Ezra 4:8Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
- Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
- Micah 2:1Those who devise sinful plans are as good as dead, those who dream about doing evil as they lie in bed. As soon as morning dawns they carry out their plans, because they have the power to do so.
- Romans 3:15“Their feet are swift to shed blood,
Commentaries on Ezra 4:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23Made them to cease by force and power - Commanded them on pain of the king's displeasure not to proceed, obliging all to remit their labors, and probably bringing an armed force to prevent them from going forward.Read the comment
- 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. 23A military unit likely forced the Jews to stop building and enforced the king’s orders. They might have torn down part of the rebuilt wall at this time (see Nehemiah 1:3). This verse concludes the parenthetical section that began in Ezra 4:6.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 4:23
In the dictionaries
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
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