Ezra
Chapter 4
1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin found out that the exiles were building a temple for the God of Israel;
2 Then they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders, and proposed to them, “Let us help you build, because we follow your God just as you do, and we have been offering sacrifices to Him since the time King Esarhaddon of Assyria settled us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel told them, “You can’t help us build a house for our God. We alone will build it for the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has told us to do.”
4 The local people discouraged the people of Judah and made it hard for them to build.
5 They paid advisors to work against them and disrupt their plans during the time Cyrus was king of Persia, up until Darius became king of Persia.
6 During King Ahasuerus’s early rule, they sent him a letter accusing the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 During Artaxerxes’ reign, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. The letter was written and translated in the Syrian language.
8 Rehum the official and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter about Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes like this:
9 Rehum the leader and Shimshai the writer, along with their friends, the people from Dina, Apharsathch, Tarpel, Aphars, Archev, Babylon, Susa, Deha, and Elam, all wrote a letter.
10 And the other nations that the great and important Asnapper moved, and put in the cities of Samaria, and the others near the river, and then.
11 Here is the letter that they sent to King Artaxerxes: “Your servants, the people near the river, send greetings.
12 Let the king know that the Jews who left you to come to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that troublesome and wicked city, setting up its walls, and fixing its foundations.
13 Let the king know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, then they won’t pay taxes, fees, or duties, and this will harm the income of the kings.
14 Since we get our support from the king and it is not right for us to watch the king be dishonored, we have told the king about this.
15 Look in your ancestors’ record book, so you’ll find out this city has always been troublesome to rulers and regions, promoting rebellion in the past, which is why it was destroyed.
16 We tell the king that if this city and its walls are rebuilt, then you will have no control in this area across the river.
17 The king sent a reply to Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and their friends in Samaria, and to others across the river: “Peace, and for now.”
18 The letter you sent us was clearly read to me.
19 I ordered a search, and it was found that this city has a history of rebelling against kings, and of revolts and unrest.
20 Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem too, controlling lands across the river; people paid them tolls, taxes, and fees.
21 Tell them to stop these people and not to build this city until I give another order.
22 Be careful now to do this so you don’t fail: why let harm increase to hurt the kings?
23 When Rehum, Shimshai the secretary, and their friends heard the letter from King Artaxerxes, they quickly went to Jerusalem to the Jews and forced them to stop working.
24 Work on God’s house in Jerusalem stopped and did not resume until the second year of King Darius of Persia’s rule.