Ezra 4

Revised Geneva Translation

4 Now the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the Temple to the LORD God of Israel.

² And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief fathers, and said to them, “We will build with you. For we seek the LORD your God like you; and we have sacrificed to Him since the time of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

³ Then Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, “It is not for you but for us to build the House to our God. For we ourselves together will build it to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

⁴ Therefore, the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

⁵ And they hired counselors against them to hinder their plans 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) they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

⁷ And in the days of Artachshashta, when it was peace, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. And the writing of the letter was in the Aramites’ writing. And the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites.

⁸ Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter of this type to Artaxerxes the king, against Jerusalem.

⁹ Then, Rehum the chancellor wrote, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions Dinai and Apharsathcai, Tarpelai, Persia, Archevai, Bablai, Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,

¹⁰ and the rest of the people whom the great and noble Osnapper brought over and set in the cities of Samaria, and others who are beyond the River and Cheeneth.

¹¹ This is the copy of the letter that they sent to King Artaxerxes, “THY SERVANTS, the men beyond the River and Cheeneth:

¹² “Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem (a rebellious and wicked city). And they build and lay the foundations of the walls and have joined the foundations.

¹³ “Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the foundations of the walls laid, they will give neither toll, tribute nor custom. So shall they hinder the king’s tribute.

¹⁴ “Now therefore, since we have been brought up in the palace, it was not right for us to see the king’s dishonor. For this reason, we have sent and informed the king,

¹⁵ “so that one may search in the Book of the Chronicles of your fathers, and you shall find in the Book of the Chronicles and perceive that this city is rebellious and noisome to kings and provinces, and that they have incited sedition in former times, for which reason this city was destroyed.

¹⁶ “We inform the king that if this city is built, and the foundation of the walls laid, by this means the portion beyond the River shall not be yours.”

¹⁷ The king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and to the rest of their companions who dwelt in Samaria, and to the others beyond the River (Shelam and Cheeth).

¹⁸ “The letter which you sent to us has been openly read before me.

¹⁹ “And I have commanded, and they have searched, and found, that this city has made insurrection against kings in former times and has rebelled. And rebellion has been committed in it.

²⁰ “Also, there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the River. And toll, tribute and custom were given to them.

²¹ “Now make a decree that those men may cease, and that the city not be built until I have given commandment.

²² “Be careful now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage grow to hurt the king?”

²³ When the copy of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and made them cease by force and power.

²⁴ Then the work of the House of God which was in Jerusalem ceased. And it ceased until the second year of Darius, king of Persia.