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== Ezra (Book of Ezra), Chapter 4 ==

<named id="1"/>1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto HaShem, the G-d of Israel;

<named id="2"/>2 then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' houses, and said unto them: 'Let us build with you; for we seek your G-d, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.'

<named id="3"/>3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them: 'Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our G-d; but we ourselves together will build unto HaShem, the G-d of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.'

<named id="4"/>4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building,

<named id="5"/>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.

<named id="6"/>6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

<named id="7"/>7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.

<named id="8"/>8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort--

<named id="9"/>9 then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,

<named id="10"/>10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest that are in the country beyond the River:-- 'And now--

<named id="11"/>11 this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king--thy servants the men beyond the River--and now

<named id="12"/>12 be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.

<named id="13"/>13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

<named id="14"/>14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king,

<named id="15"/>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 laid waste.

<named id="16"/>16 We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'

<named id="17"/>17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the commander, 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 now

<named id="18"/>18 the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

<named id="19"/>19 And I decreed, 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.

<named id="20"/>20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.

<named id="21"/>21 Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.

<named id="22"/>22 And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?'

<named id="23"/>23 Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

<named id="24"/>24 Then ceased the work of the house of G-d which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

== See also ==
* [[Ezra 3|Previous Chapter]]
* [[Ezra 4 Commentaries]]
* [[Ezra 5|Next Chapter]]

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Learning resources]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Bible Contents]]

[[he:עזרא ד]]

[[1917 JPS Copyright|Portions © 1997 by Benyamin Pilant. Portions © 1998 by Larry Nelson.]]

Ezra 4 - Revision history

WikiSysop at 07:43, 28 December 2008