Their Enemies Try to Stop the Rebuilding of the Lord God’s House |
Ezra 4:1-24 The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks] |
Now, when the [enemies] of Judah & Benjamin heard that the children [people returned from] captivity [were building] a temple to the Lord God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel & the [leaders] of the [forefather’s families] & said to them, Let us [rebuild] with you, [because] we seek your God, [like] you do. |
And we [have sacrificed] to Him, since the days of Esar Haddon, [Assur’s] king, [who] brought us [here.] But Zerubbabel & the [leaders of the forefather’s families] of Israel said to them, You have [no part] with us [building] a house to our God. |
We [will rebuild] a house to the Lord, our God of Israel ourselves, [like] king Cyrus of Persia commanded us. Then, the people of the land [tried to discourage] the people of Judah & troubled them in building. |
[They] hired counselors to [keep them from attaining their goal,] all the days of Cyrus, [Persia’s king ruled] even until Darius, [Persia’s] king [ruled.] And in the beginning of [Ahasuerus’] reign, they wrote to him [with] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah & Jerusalem. |
[During Artaxerxes’ reign,] Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel & the rest of their companions wrote a letter in the Syrian [language] to Artaxerxes, [Persia’s] king & [was] interpreted in the Syrian [language.] |
Rehum, the [chief director of state] & Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter to Artaxerxes, the king, against Jerusalem [about] this. Then, Rehum, Shimshai wrote [with] the rest of their companions: |
The Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites,the Dehavites, the Elamites & the rest of the nations, |
whom the great & noble Asnapper [a.k.a. Ashurbanipal] brought over & [put] in the cities of Samaria & the rest that are on this side [of] the [Euphrates] River, at [this] time. |
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes, the king. [From] our servants, the men of this side of the river, at [this] time. |
The king [should know] that the Jews [who] came up from you to us [have gone into] Jerusalem [& are] building the rebellious & bad city & have [put] up [its] walls & joined the foundations. |
The king [should also know] now that, if this city [is rebuilt] & the walls [are restored,] they [won’t] pay [taxes,] tribute, or [taxes on imports, which will eventually affect] the revenue of the kings. |
[Since,] we [are under obligation to] the king’s palace, it [wasn’t proper] for us to see the king [dishonored, so] we sent & [informed] the king. |
[If a search] is made [in] the records of your [forefathers, you will find] that this is a rebellious city, [troublesome] to kings & provinces & they have [reverted] to [inciting the people to rebel, like in] the past, which [caused] this city [to be] destroyed. |
We [are informing] the king that if this city [is rebuilt] & the walls [are restored,] you shall have [no control] on this side of the river. Then, the king [returned] an answer to Rehum, the [chief director of state,] Shimshai, the scribe & the rest of their companions [who live] in Samaria & beyond the [Euphrates] River. |
Peace [& greetings.] The letter you sent to us has been read plainly [in front of] me. I commanded & a search [was] made & it is found that this city [in the past] has [revolted] against kings & that rebellion & [inciting riots] have been made there. |
Also, mighty kings have been over Jerusalem & ruled over all [the] countries beyond the river & [taxes,] tribute & [taxes on imports were] paid to them. Now, give the [command] that these men [stop rebuilding] this city, until [I give] another [command.] |
Now, [pay attention & don’t] fail to do this. Why should [this threat increase] & [harm] the kings? |
When [a] copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read [in front of] Rehum, Shimshai & their companions, they [hurried] & went up to the Jews [in] Jerusalem & made them [stop] by force & power. So, the work [on] the house of God [stopped] in Jerusalem [until] the 2nd year Darius, [Persia’s] king [ruled.] |