Ezra 4:22

Ezra 4:22 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
• New International Version (NIV)Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?
• English Standard Version (ESV)And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?

Context of Ezra 4:22

20Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and the entire province west of the Euphrates River, receiving tribute, customs, and tolls. 21Therefore, issue orders to have these men stop their work. That city must not be rebuilt except at my express command. Be diligent, and don’t neglect this matter, for we must not permit the situation to harm the king’s interests.” 23When this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their colleagues, they hurried to Jerusalem. Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building. 24So the work on the Temple of God in Jerusalem had stopped, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra 4:22 word by word

וּזְהִירִ֥ין הֱו֛וֹ שָׁל֖וּ לְמֶעְבַּ֣ד עַל־דְּנָ֑ה לְמָה֙ יִשְׂגֵּ֣א חֲבָלָ֔א לְהַנְזָקַ֖ת מַלְכִֽין׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Take heedזְהַרzehar · to take heedH2095
• Take heedהֲוָאhâvâ' hâvâh · to beH1934
• now that ye failשָׁלוּshâlû shâlûth · neglectH7960
• not to doעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
• not to doעַל‛al · uponH5922
• thisדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• whyמָהmâh · what?H4101
• should damageחֲבָלchăbal · harmH2257
• growשְׂגָאώegâ' · to grow greatH7680
• to the hurtנְזַקnezaq · to suffer injuryH5142
• of the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430

Cross-references for Ezra 4:22

• Ezra 4:13And 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.
• Esther 3:8Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live.
• Esther 7:3Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared.

Commentaries on Ezra 4:22

• 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. 11-22Ezra contains a copy in Aramaic of the letter sent to Artaxerxes and his response.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 4:22

• Artaxerxes
• Bishlam
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Certify
• Chaldee language
• Chancellor
• Darius
• Endamage
• Grow
• Hurt
• Insurrection
• Rehum
• Shimshai

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