Ezra 4
4
Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple
1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin#Neh 2:19–20 heard that the returned exiles#4:1 Lit the sons of the exile#Ezr 1:11; 2:1 were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2they 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#4:2 Alt Hb tradition reads have not been sacrificing since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”#2Kg 17:24,27–32; 19:37; Is 37:38
3But 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,#Neh 2:20 since we alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”#Ezr 1:1–4 4Then the people who were already in the land#4:4 Lit people of the land, also in v. 6 discouraged#4:4 Lit weakened the hands of the people of Judah and made them afraid#Ezr 3:3 to build. 5They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans#Neh 6:12–13; 13:2 throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.#Ezr 5:5; 6:1
Opposition to Rebuilding the City
6At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,#Est 1:1; Dn 9:1 the people who were already in the land#Ezr 3:3 wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. 7During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,#Ezr 7:1; Neh 2:1 Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic#Dn 1:4; 2:4 and translated.#4:7 Ezr 4:8–6:18 is written in Aramaic.
8Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe#Ezr 4:17,23–24 wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:
9From Rehum#4:9 Lit Then Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues — the judges and magistrates#4:9 Or ambassadors from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa#Neh 1:1; Est 1:2; Dn 8:2 (that is, the people of Elam),#4:9 Aramaic obscure 10and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal#4:10 Lit Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria#2Kg 17:24 and the region west of the Euphrates River.#Ezr 4:16–17,20
11This is the text of the letter they sent to him:
To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:
12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. 13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished,#Ezr 4:16,21; Neh 1:3 they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax,#Ezr 4:20; 7:24 and the royal revenue#4:13 Aramaic obscure will suffer. 14Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king,#4:14 Lit have eaten the salt of the palace and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king 15that a search should be made in your predecessors’ record books.#Ezr 5:17; 6:1 In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
Artaxerxes’s Reply
17The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River:
Greetings.
18The letter you sent us has been translated and read#4:18 Or been read clearly#Neh 8:8 in my presence. 19I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. 20Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. 21Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.#Neh 2:5,7–8 22See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests#4:22 Lit the kings will suffer.
23As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues,#Ezr 4:8–10,17 they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed
24Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.#Ezr 4:1–5; Hg 1:1,14
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Ezra 4
4
Resistance Weakens the People
1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Adonai the God of Israel,
2they approached Zerubbabel and the leading patriarchs and said to them, “Let us build with you, for like you we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the prominent patriarchs of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build a House for our God—but we alone will build it for Adonai the God of Israel, just as Cyrus—king of Persia—has commanded us.”
4Then the people of the land began discouraging the people of Judah and making them afraid to build.
5They bribed advisors in order to thwart their plans all the days of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6During the reign of Ahasuerus at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7Also during the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
8Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and the officials, the magistrates, and governors over the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites)
10and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and the rest of Trans-Euphrates. (Now
11this is a copy of the letter they sent to him.) To Artaxerxes the king, from your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates: Now
12let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city. They are completing the walls and repairing the foundations.
13“Furthermore, let it be known to the king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, no more tribute, taxes or duty will be paid and the royal revenue will suffer.
14Now since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king
15so that a search may be made in the book of records of your fathers and you will discover in the records and know that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting internal revolts from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
16We are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have any possession in Trans-Euphrates.”
17The king sent this reply: “To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates who dwell in Samaria and the others in Trans-Euphrates. “Shalom!
18“The letter that you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence.
19At my order a search was made and it was found that this city has from earliest times revolted against kings and that rebellion and sedition continually occur in it.
20Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem governing all the Trans-Euphrates, and tribute, taxes, and duty were paid to them.
21“So now, issue a decree to stop these men—this city is not to be rebuilt until I issue a decree.
22Be careful not to be negligent in this matter. Why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?”
23Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they hurried off to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power compelled them to stop.
24Thus the work on the House of God in Jerusalem ceased. It remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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