Home Page
Home | Akaranga Sutra | Bhagvad Gita | Bible | Confucian Canon | Dhammapada | Qitab I Aqdas | Quran | Tanakh | Tao Te Ching

Tanakh

More about Judaism | Related Images | Links


Book 36 : KETUVIM - EZRA - Chapter 004

04:001

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

04:002

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.

04:003

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.

04:004

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and harried them while they were building

04:005

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

04:006

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem

04:007

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

04:008

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort-

04:009

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

04:010

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-

04:011

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 no

04:012

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

04:013

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

04:014

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

04:015

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

04:016

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.

04:017

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 no

04:018

the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me

04:019

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

04:020

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

04:021

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

04:022

And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

04:023

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

04:024

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



Book 36 : KETUVIM - EZRA - Chapter 004

Akaranga Sutra | Bhagvad Gita | Bible | Confucian Canon | Dhammapada | Qitab I Aqdas
Quran | Quran (Deutsch) | Quran (French) | Tanakh | Tao Te Ching | Tao Te Ching (Chinese)
Home Page - Contact - Resources - Images - Links - Holybooks Mp3 Versions - Site Map

Hosting Provider