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
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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
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