Ezra Chapter 4

Ezra Chapter 4
1 But the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin heard, that the children of the
captivity builded the temple unto the
Lord God of Israel.
2 And they came to Zerubbabel, and to
the chief fathers, and said unto them, We
will build with you: for we seek the
Lord your God as ye do, and we have
sacrificed unto him since the time of
Esar Haddon king of Asshur, [Assyria]
which brought us up hither.
3 Then Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the
rest of the chief fathers of Israel, said
unto them, It is not for you, but for us to
build the house unto our God: for we
ourselves together will build it unto the
Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Wherefore the people of the land
discouraged the people of Judah, and
troubled them in building,
5 And they hired counselors against
them, to hinder their devise, 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 an accusation
against the inhabitants of Judah and
Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes,
Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their
companions wrote when it was peace,
unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the
writing of the letter was the Aramites'
[Syrians'] writing, and the thing declared
was in the language of the Aramites
[Syrians]. 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 their
companions Dinai, and Apharsathcai,
Tarpelai, Apharsai, Archevai, Bablai,
Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,
10 And the rest of the people whom the
great and noble Asnappar brought over,
and set in the cities of Samaria, and
other that are beyond the river and
Cheeneth.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they
sent unto king Artaxerxes, Thy servants
the men beyond the river and Cheeneth,
salute thee. 12 Be it known unto the king
that the Jews, which came up from thee
to us, are come unto Jerusalem (a city
rebellious and wicked) and build, and
lay the foundations of the walls, and
have joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that if
this city be built, and the foundations of
the walls laid, they will not give toll,
tribute, nor custom: so shalt thou hinder
the king's tribute.
14 Now therefore because we have been
brought up in the king's palace, it was
not meet for us to see the king's
dishonor: for this cause have we sent
and certified the king,
15 That one may search in the book of
the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou
shalt find in the book of the Chronicles,
and perceive that this city is rebellious
and noise some unto kings and
provinces, and that they have moved
sedition of old time, for the which cause
this city was destroyed.
16 We certify the king therefore, that if
this city be builded, and the foundation
of the walls laid, by this means the
portion beyond the river shall not be
thine. 17 The king sent an answer unto
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the
scribe, and to the rest of their
companions that dwelt in Samaria, and
unto the other beyond the river, Shelam
and Cheeth.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us, hath
been openly read before me, 19 And I
have commanded and they have
searched, and found, that this city of old
time hath made insurrection against
kings, and hath rebelled, and rebellion
hath been committed therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also
over Jerusalem, which have ruled over
all beyond the River, and toll, tribute,
and custom was given unto them. 21
Make ye now a decree, that those men
may cease, and that the city be not built,
till I have given another commandment.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do
this: why should damage grow to hurt the
king?
23 When the copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum and
Shimshai the scribe, and their
companions, they went up in all the haste
to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and caused
them to cease by force and power. 24
Then ceased the work of the house of
God, which was in Jerusalem, and did
stay unto the second year of Darius king
of Persia.