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Ezra 4:1
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Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin
heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God
of Israel; |
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| Ezra 4:2 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:3 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:4 |
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Then the people of the land weakened the hands
of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, |
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| Ezra 4:5 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:6 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:7 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:8 |
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Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe
wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: |
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| Ezra 4:9 |
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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, |
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| Ezra 4:10 |
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And the rest of the nations whom the great and
noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that
are on this side the river, and at such a time. |
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| Ezra 4:11 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:12 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:13 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:14 |
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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; |
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| Ezra 4:15 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:16 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:17 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:18 |
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The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly
read before me. |
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| Ezra 4:19 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:20 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:21 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:22 |
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Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why
should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? |
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| Ezra 4:23 |
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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. |
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| Ezra 4:24 |
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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. |
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