Revised Version 1895

Ezra 4

1Nowכִּֽי־ki-H3588when the adversaries ofJudahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063andBenjaminוּבִנְיָמִ֑ןu.vin.ya.MinH1144heardוַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּvai.yish.me.'UH8085that thechildrenבְנֵ֤יve.NeiH1121of the captivity builded atempleהֵיכָ֔לhei.KhalH1964unto theLORDלַיהוָ֖הla.Yah.wehH3068, theGodאֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.HeiH430ofIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElH3478;

2then theydrewH5066nearH5066toZerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לze.ru.ba.VelH2216, and to theheadsרָאשֵׁ֣יra.SheiH7218offathers’הָֽאָב֗וֹתha.'a.VotH1houses, andsaidוַיֹּאמְר֤וּvai.yo.me.RuH559unto them,LetH3808usאֶל־'el-H413buildנִבְנֶ֣הniv.NehH1129withyouH3588: forweH587seekנִדְר֖וֹשׁnid.Ro.oshH1875yourGodלֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑םle.lo.hei.KhemH430, as ye do; andweH587dosacrificeזֹבְחִ֗יםzoe.ChimH2076unto himsinceH3588thedaysמִימֵי֙mi.MeiH3117ofEsarhaddonH634kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428ofAssyriaאַשּׁ֔וּר'a.ShurH804, whichbroughtH5927usוְאֶל־ve.'el-H413upH5927hither.

3ButZerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לze.ru.ba.VelH2216, andJeshuaוְיֵשׁ֗וּעַve.ye.Shu.a'H3442, and therestוּשְׁאָ֨רu.she.'ArH7605of theheadsרָאשֵׁ֤יra.SheiH7218offathers’הָֽאָבוֹת֙ha.'a.VotH1housesבַּ֖יִתBa.yitH1004ofIsraelלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לle.Yis.ra.'ElH3478,saidוַיֹּאמֶר֩vai.yo.MerH559unto them, Ye havenothingלֹֽא־lo'-H3808todoH6680withusH3588tobuildלִבְנ֥וֹתliv.NotH1129anhouseH1004unto ourGodלֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּle.lo.Hei.nuH430; butweH587ourselvesH587togetherיַ֜חַדYa.chadH3162willbuildנִבְנֶ֗הniv.NehH1129unto theLORDלַֽיהוָה֙la.Yah.wehH3068, theGodאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430ofIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478, askingהַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Cyrusכּ֥וֹרֶשׁKo.reshH3566thekingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428ofPersiaפָּרָֽס׃pa.RasH6539hathcommandedצִוָּ֔נוּtzi.Va.nuH6680usH3588.

4Then thepeopleעַם־'am-H5971of thelandהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776weakened thehandsיְדֵ֣יye.DeiH3027of thepeopleעַם־'am-H5971ofJudahיְהוּדָ֑הye.hu.DahH3063, and troubled them inbuildingלִבְנֽוֹת׃liv.NotH1129,

5andhiredוְסֹכְרִ֧יםve.so.khe.RimH7936counsellorsagainstעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם'a.lei.HemH5921them, to frustrate theirpurposeעֲצָתָ֑ם'a.tza.TamH6098,allכָּל־kol-H3605thedaysיְמֵ֗יye.MeiH3117ofCyrusכּ֚וֹרֶשׁKo.reshH3566kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428ofPersiaפָּרַ֔סpa.RasH6539,evenH5704untilH5704thereignמַלְכ֖וּתmal.KhutH4438ofDariusדָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁda.re.Ya.veshH1867kingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4428ofPersiaפָּרָֽס׃pa.RasH6539.

6And in thereignוּבְמַלְכוּת֙u.ve.mal.KhutH4438ofAhasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshH325, in thebeginningבִּתְחִלַּ֖תbit.chi.LatH8462of hisreignמַלְכוּת֑וֹmal.khu.ToH4438,wroteכָּתְב֣וּka.te.VuH3789they anaccusationשִׂטְנָ֔הsit.NahH7855againstעַל־'al-H5921theinhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵ֥יyo.she.VeiH3427ofJudahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063andJerusalemוִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ סvi.ru.sha.LimH3389.

7And in thedaysוּבִימֵ֣יu.vi.MeiH3117ofArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֗שְׂתָּא'ar.tach.Shas.ta'H783wroteH3789Bishlamבִּשְׁלָ֜םbish.LamH1312,Mithredathמִתְרְדָ֤תmit.re.DatH4990,Tabeelטָֽבְאֵל֙ta.ve.'ElH2870, and therestוּשְׁאָ֣רu.she.'ArH7605of his companions, untoArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּ'ar.tach.shas.taH783kingמֶ֣לֶךְMe.lekhH4428ofPersiaפָּרָ֑סpa.RasH6539; and thewritingH3789of theletterוּכְתָב֙u.khe.TavH3791waswrittenH3789in the Syrian character, and set forth in the Syrian tongue.

8Rehumרְח֣וּםre.ChumH7348the chancellor andShimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ve.shim.ShaiH8124thescribeסָֽפְרָ֔אsa.fe.Ra'H5613wroteכְּתַ֛בוּke.Ta.vuH3790aletterאִגְּרָ֥ה'i.ge.RahH104againstעַל־'al-H5922Jerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֶ֑םye.ru.she.LemH3390toArtaxerxesלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥שְׂתְּאle.'ar.tach.Shas.te'H783thekingמַלְכָּ֖אmal.Ka'H4430in this sort:

9then wroteRehumרְח֣וּםre.ChumH7348the chancellor, andShimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ve.shim.ShaiH8124thescribeסָֽפְרָ֔אsa.fe.Ra'H5613, and therestוּשְׁאָ֖רu.she.'ArH7606of their companions; the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, theBabyloniansבָבְלָיֵא֙va.ve.la.Ye'H896, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, theElamitesעֵלְמָיֵֽא׃'e.le.ma.Ye'H5962,

10and therestוּשְׁאָ֣רu.she.'ArH7606of thenationsאֻמַּיָּ֗א'u.mai.Ya'H524whomדִּ֤יdiH1768thegreatרַבָּ֣אra.Ba'H7229and nobleOsnapparאָסְנַפַּר֙'a.se.na.ParH620brought over, and set in thecityבְּקִרְיָ֖הbe.kir.YahH7149ofSamariaשָׁמְרָ֑יִןsha.me.Ra.yinH8115, and in therestוּשְׁאָ֥רu.she.'ArH7606of the countrybeyondעֲבַֽר־'a.var-H5675theriverנַהֲרָ֖הna.ha.Rah'H5103, andsoדִּ֣יdiH1768forth.

11This is thecopyפַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶןpar.She.genH6573of theletterאִגַּרְתָּ֔א'i.gar.Ta'H104that theysentשְׁלַ֣חוּshe.La.chuH7972untoArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא'ar.tach.Shas.te'H783thekingמַלְכָּ֑אmal.Ka'H4430; Thyservantsעַבְדָ֛ךְav.da.yikhH5649themenאֱנָ֥שׁ'e.NashH606beyondעֲבַֽר־'a.var-H5675theriverנַהֲרָ֖הna.ha.Rah'H5103, andsoדִּ֚יdiH1768forth.

12Be itknownיְדִ֙יעַ֙ye.Di.a'H3046unto thekingלְמַלְכָּ֔אle.mal.Ka'H4430, that theJewsיְהוּדָיֵ֗אye.hu.da.Ye'H3062whichH1768cameאֲת֖וֹ'a.ToH858upסְלִ֙קוּ֙se.Li.kuH5559from thee arecomeH858to us untoJerusalemלִירוּשְׁלֶ֑םli.ru.she.LemH3390; they arebuildingבָּנַ֔יִןba.Na.yinH1124the rebellious and the badcityקִרְיְתָ֨אkir.ye.Ta'H7149, and havefinishedשַׁכְלִ֔ילוּshakh.Li.luH3635thewallsוְשׁוּרַיָּ֣אve.shu.rai.Ya'H7792, and repaired thefoundationsוְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖אve.'u.shai.Ya'H787.

13Be itknownיְדִ֙יעַ֙ye.Di.a'H3046nowכְּעַ֗ןke.'AnH3705unto thekingלְמַלְכָּ֔אle.mal.Ka'H4430, that,ifהֵ֣ןhenH2006thiscityקִרְיְתָ֥אkir.ye.Ta'H7149be builded, and thewallsוְשׁוּרַיָּ֖הve.shu.rai.Yah'H7792finishedיִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּןyish.takh.le.LunH3635, they willnotלָ֣אla'H3809payיִנְתְּנ֔וּןyin.te.NunH5415tributeמִנְדָּֽה־min.dah-H4061,customבְל֤וֹve.LoH1093, ortollוַהֲלָךְ֙va.ha.loKhH1983, and in the end it will endamage thekingsמַלְכִ֖יםmal.KhimH4430.

14Nowכְּעַ֗ןke.'AnH3705becauseקֳבֵל֙ko.VelH6903weH1768eat thesaltמְלַ֤חme.LachH4416of thepalaceהֵֽיכְלָא֙hei.khe.La'H1965, and it isnotלָ֥אla'H3809meet for us toseeלְמֶֽחֱזֵ֑אle.me.che.Ze'H2370theking’sמַלְכָּ֔אmal.Ka'H4430dishonour, therefore haveweH1768sentשְׁלַ֖חְנָאshe.Lach.na'H7972and certified thekingלְמַלְכָּֽא׃le.mal.Ka'H4430;

15thatsearchיְבַקַּר֩ye.va.KarH1240may bemadeH3046in thebookבִּֽסְפַר־bis.far-H5609of the records of thyfathersאֲבָהָתָ֗ךְ'a.va.ha.TakhH2:soH1768shalt thoufindוּ֠תְהַשְׁכַּחU.te.hash.kachH7912in thebookבִּסְפַ֣רbis.FarH5609of the records, andknowוְתִנְדַּע֒ve.tin.Da'H3046that thiscityקִרְיְתָ֨אkir.ye.Ta'H7149is a rebelliouscityקִרְיָ֣אkir.Ya'H7149, and hurtful untokingsמַלְכִין֙mal.KhinH4430andprovincesוּמְדִנָ֔ןu.me.di.NanH4083, and that they have moved seditionwithinבְּגַוַּ֔הּbe.ga.VahH1459the same of old time: forwhichH1768cause was thiscityקִרְיְתָ֥אkir.ye.Ta'H7149laidH2718wasteH2718.

16Weאֲנַ֙חְנָה֙'a.Nach.nahH586certify thekingלְמַלְכָּ֔אle.mal.Ka'H4430that,ifהֵ֣ןhenH2006thiscityקִרְיְתָ֥אkir.ye.Ta'H7149be builded, and thewallsוְשׁוּרַיָּ֖הve.shu.rai.Yah'H7792finishedיִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּןyish.takh.le.LunH3635, by this means thou shalt havenoלָ֥אla'H3809portionחֲלָק֙cha.LakH2508beyondבַּעֲבַ֣רba.'a.VarH5675theriverנַהֲרָ֔אna.ha.Ra'H5103.

17Thensentשְׁלַ֣חshe.LachH7972thekingמַלְכָּ֗אmal.Ka'H4430ananswerפִּתְגָמָ֞אpit.ga.Ma'H6600untoRehumרְח֤וּםre.ChumH7348the chancellor, and toShimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁ֣יve.shim.ShaiH8124thescribeסָֽפְרָ֔אsa.fe.Ra'H5613, and to therestוּשְׁאָר֙u.she.'ArH7606of their companions that dwell inSamariaבְּשָֽׁמְרָ֑יִןbe.sha.me.Ra.yinH8115, and in therestוּשְׁאָ֧רu.she.'ArH7606of the countrybeyondעֲבַֽר־'a.var-H5675theriverנַהֲרָ֛הna.ha.Rah'H5103,Peaceשְׁלָ֖םshe.LamH8001, andsoדִּ֥יdiH1768forth.

18The letterwhichדִּ֥יdiH1768yesentשְׁלַחְתּ֖וּןshe.lach.TunH7972unto us hath been plainlyreadקֱרִ֖יke.RiH7123beforeH6925meH6925.

19And I decreed, andsearchוּבַקַּ֣רוּu.va.Ka.ruH1240hath beenmadeH5648, and it isfoundוְהַשְׁכַּ֔חוּve.hash.Ka.chuH7912that thiscityקִרְיְתָ֣אkir.ye.Ta'H7149of old time hathmadeH5648insurrectionagainstעַל־'al-H5922kingsמַלְכִ֖יןmal.KhinH4430, and thatrebellionוּמְרַ֥דu.me.RadH4776and sedition have beenmadeH5648therein.

20There have beenmightyתַּקִּיפִ֗יןta.ki.FinH8624kingsוּמַלְכִ֣יןu.mal.KhinH4430also overJerusalemיְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔םye.Ru.she.LemH3390, which haveruledהֲווֹ֙ha.VoH1934overallבְּכֹ֖לbe.KholH3606the countrybeyondעֲבַ֣ר'a.VarH5675theriverנַהֲרָ֑הna.ha.Rah'H5103; andtributeוּמִדָּ֥הu.mi.DahH4061,customבְל֛וֹve.LoH1093, andtollוַהֲלָ֖ךְva.ha.LakhH1983, waspaidמִתְיְהֵ֥בmit.ye.HevH3052unto them.

21Makeשִׂ֣ימוּSi.muH7761yenowכְּעַן֙ke.'AnH3705adecreeטְּעֵ֔םte.'EmH2942to causetheseאִלֵּ֑ךְ'i.LekhH479menגֻּבְרַיָּ֣אguv.rai.Ya'H1400toceaseלְבַטָּלָ֖אle.va.ta.La'H989, and that thiscityוְקִרְיְתָ֥אve.kir.ye.Ta'H7149benotלָ֣אla'H3809builded,untilעַד־'ad-H5705adecreeטַעְמָ֥אta'.Ma'H2942shall bemadeיִתְּשָֽׂם׃yi.te.SamH7761by me.

22Andtakeהֱו֛וֹhe.VoH1934heed that ye be not slack herein:whyלְמָה֙le.MahH4101shoulddamageלְהַנְזָקַ֖תle.han.za.KatH5142grow to the hurt of thekingsמַלְכִֽין׃ סmal.KhinH4430?

23Then when thecopyפַּרְשֶׁ֤גֶןpar.She.genH6573ofkingמַלְכָּ֔אmal.Ka'H4430Artaxerxes’ letter wasreadקֱרִ֧יke.RiH7123beforeקֳדָם־ko.dom-H6925Rehumרְח֛וּםre.ChumH7348, andShimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁ֥יve.shim.ShaiH8124thescribeסָפְרָ֖אsa.fe.Ra'H5613, and their companions, theywentאֲזַ֨לוּ'a.Za.luH236inhasteבִבְהִיל֤וּviv.hi.LuH924toJerusalemלִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙li.ru.she.LemH3390unto theJewsיְה֣וּדָיֵ֔אye.Hu.da.Ye'H3062, andmadeH7123them toceaseוּבַטִּ֥לוּu.va.Ti.luH989byforceבְּאֶדְרָ֥עbe.'ed.Ra'H153and power.

24Thenceasedבְּטֵלַת֙be.te.LatH989theworkעֲבִידַ֣ת'a.vi.DatH5673of thehouseבֵּית־beit-H1005ofGodאֱלָהָ֔א'e.la.Ha'H426whichדִּ֖יdiH1768is atJerusalemבִּירוּשְׁלֶ֑םbi.ru.she.LemH3390; and itceasedבָּֽטְלָ֔אba.te.La'H989unto thesecondתַּרְתֵּ֔יןtar.TeinH8648yearשְׁנַ֣תshe.NatH8140of thereignלְמַלְכ֖וּתle.mal.KhutH4437ofDariusדָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁda.re.Ya.veshH1868kingמֶֽלֶךְ־Me.lekh-H4430ofPersiaפָּרָֽס׃ פpa.RasH6540.

Commentaries on Ezra 4

Revised Version 1895 — 1895 — Public Domain