Ezra 4
The Adversaries Stop
the Work |
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 Zerub'babel, 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 Esar-had'don king of Assur, which brought us up
hither. 2 Kgs. 17.24-41
|
3 |
But Zerub'babel, and Jesh'u-a, and the
rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have
nothing to do with us to build a 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 counselors against them, to
frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even
until the reign of Dari'us king of Persia.
|
6 |
And in the reign of Ahasue'rus, Esth.
1.1 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 Artaxerx'es wrote
Bishlam, Mith'redath, Tab'eel, and the rest of their companions,
unto Artaxerx'es 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 Shim'shai the
scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerx'es the king in
this sort:
|
9 |
then wrote Rehum the chancellor,
and Shim'shai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the
Di'na-ites, the Aphar-sath'chites, the Tar'pelites, the Aphar'sites,
the Ar'chevites, the Babylonians, the Su'sanchites, the De'havites, and the E'lamites,
|
10 |
and the rest of the nations whom the
great and noble Asnap'per 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 Artaxerx'es 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 dishonor, 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 Shim'shai 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 Artaxerx'es'
letter was read before Rehum, and Shim'shai 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 Dari'us king of Persia.
|