Ezra 4
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10
1 Now when the adversaries of
Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple
unto the LORD God of Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the
chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek
your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest
of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do
with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build
unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the
hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 And hired counsellors against them, to
frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the
reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of
Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes
king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian
tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the
scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor,
and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the
Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the
Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the
great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the
rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
11 This is the copy of the letter
that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the
men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the
Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the
rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and
joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if
this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay
toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the
kings.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the
king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour,
therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15 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.
16 We certify the king that, if this city
be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt
have no portion on this side the river.
17 Then sent the king
an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to
the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest
beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath
been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been
made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against
kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over
Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and
toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these
men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another
commandment shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do
this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23 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.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of
God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign
of Darius king of Persia.
Return to Bible Index Page
|