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

13Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt diminish the revenue of the kings. 14Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not good for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and informed the king; 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 to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same from of old: for which cause was this city destroyed. 16We inform the king that, if this city shall be built again, and the walls set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side of the river. 17Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, Peace, and now.

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

• searchבְּקַרbeqar · to enquireH1240
• bookסְפַרsephar · scrollH5609
• recordsדָּכְרָןdikrôn dokrân · recordH1799
• fathersאַב'ab · fatherH2
• findשְׁכַחshekach · to findH7912
• knowיְדַעyeda‛ · to knowH3046
• thisדֵּךְdêk dâk · thisH1791
• cityקִרְיָהqiryâ' qiryâh · townH7149
• rebelliousמָרָדmârâd · rebelliousH4779
• hurtfulנְזַקnezaq · to suffer injuryH5142
• kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4430
• provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4083
• movedעֲבַד‛ăbad · to makeH5648
• seditionאֶשְׁתַּדּוּר'eshtaddûr · seditionH849
• sameגַּוgav · midstH1459
• ofמִן־min · fromH4481
• oldעָלַם‛âlam · perpetuityH5957
• oldיוֹםyôm · dayH3118
• forעַל‛al · uponH5922
• whichדְּנָהdên · thisH1836
• destroyedחֲרַבchărab · be wastedH2718

Cross-references for Ezra 4:15

• Ezra 4:12let it be known to the king, that the Jews who came from thee to us are come to Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the evil city, and have set up the walls, and joined the foundations.
• Nehemiah 2:19But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they mocked, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
• Nehemiah 6:6In which was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
• Esther 3:5And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did pay him honour, then was Haman full of wrath.
• Daniel 6:4Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
• Acts 17:6And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down have come here also;
• 2 Kings 24:20For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
• 2 Kings 25:1And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it on all sides.
• Jeremiah 52:3For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that 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