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<< Ezra 4
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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 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.
3 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.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of
Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 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,
10 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.
11 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.
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 dishonour, 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
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.
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 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.
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 Darius king of Persia.
<< Ezra 4 >>
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