Ezra 4:15

Ezra 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
• New International Version (NIV)so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste.
• New King James Version (NKJV)that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. And you will find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition within the city in former times, for which cause this city was destroyed.

Context of Ezra 4:15

13And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you. 14“Since we are your loyal subjects and do not want to see the king dishonored in this way, we have sent the king this information. We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it. 16We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.” 17Then King Artaxerxes sent this reply: “To Rehum the governor, Shimshai the court secretary, and their colleagues living in Samaria and throughout the province west of the Euphrates River. Greetings.

Ezra 4:15 word by word

דִּ֡י יְבַקַּר֩ בִּֽסְפַר־דָּכְרָ֨נַיָּ֜א דִּ֣י אֲבָהָתָ֗ךְ וּ֠תְהַשְׁכַּח בִּסְפַ֣ר דָּכְרָנַיָּא֮ וְתִנְדַּע֒ דִּי֩ קִרְיְתָ֨א דָ֜ךְ קִרְיָ֣א מָֽרָדָ֗א וּֽמְהַנְזְקַ֤ת מַלְכִין֙ וּמְדִנָ֔ן וְאֶשְׁתַּדּוּר֙ עָבְדִ֣ין בְּגַוַּ֔הּ מִן־יוֹמָ֖ת עָלְמָ֑א עַ֨ל־דְּנָ֔ה קִרְיְתָ֥א דָ֖ךְ הָֽחָרְבַֽת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That searchבְּקַרbeqar · to enquireH1240
• may be made in the bookסְפַרsephar · scrollH5609
• of the recordsדָּכְרָןdikrôn dokrân · recordH1799
• of thy fathersאַב'ab · fatherH2
• so shalt thou findשְׁכַחshekach · to findH7912
• and knowיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• that thisדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
• a rebelliousמָרָדmârâd · rebelliousH4779
• and hurtfulנְזַקnezaq · to suffer injuryH5142
• unto kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• and provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4083
• and that they have movedעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
• seditionאֶשְׁתַּדּוּר'eshtaddûr · seditionH849
• within the sameגַּוgav · midstH1459
• ofמִן־min · fromH4481
• oldעָלַם‛âlam · perpetuityH5957
• timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3118
• forעַל‛al · uponH5922
• whichדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• destroyedחֲרַבchărab · be wastedH2718

Cross-references for Ezra 4:15

• Ezra 4:12“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls.
• Nehemiah 2:19But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked.
• Nehemiah 6:6and this is what it said: “There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king.
• Esther 3:5When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage.
• Daniel 6:4Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.
• Acts 17:6Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too.
• 2 Kings 24:20These things happened because of the Lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
• 2 Kings 25:1So on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls.
• Jeremiah 52:3These things happened because of the Lord’s anger against the people of Jerusalem and Judah, until he finally banished them from his presence and sent them into exile. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15The book of the records of thy fathers - That is, the records of the Chaldeans, to whom the Persians succeeded.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The book of the records - Compare Esther 2:23; Esther 6:1; Esther 10:2. The existence of such a “book” at the Persian court is attested also by Ctesias. Of thy fathers - i. e., thy predecessors ripen the throne, Cambyses, Cyrus, etc. If Artaxerxes was the Pseudo-Smerdis (Ezra 4:7 note), these persons were not really his “fathers” or ancestors; but the writers of the letter could not venture to call the king an impostor.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. 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 4:15

• Accusation, False
• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

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

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