Ezra 4:2-4

Christian Standard Bible

² they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him^[a] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”^(A)

³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,^(B) since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”^{(C) 4} Then the people who were already in the land^[b] discouraged^[c] the people of Judah and made them afraid^(D) to build.