Ezra:4:6-24

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* And in the reign of Ahasuerus , in the beginning of his reign , they wrote an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem . * And in the days of Artaxerxes , Bishlam , Mithredath , Tabeel and the rest of their companions , wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia . And the letter [was ] written in the Syrian tongue , and interpreted in the Syrian tongue . * Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this way . * Then Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe , and the rest of their companions , the judges , and the emissaries , the consuls , the officials , the Erechites , the Babylonians , the men of Susa , that is , the Elamites , * and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over and set in the cities of Samaria , and the rest of [the province ] Beyond the River , and now , * this [is ] the copy of the letter which they sent to him , to Artaxerxes the king . Your servants the men of the province Beyond the River , and so now , * let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem , and are building the rebellious and the evil city , and have set up [its ] walls , and have joined the foundations . * And let it be known to the king that if this city is built and the walls set up , then they will not pay toll , taxes , or custom , and you shall endanger the revenue of the kings . * And because we have eaten the salt of the palace , and it was not right for us to see the king 's dishonor , therefore we have sent and notified the king , * so that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers , and you shall find in the book of the records , and shall know that [this ] city [is ] a rebellious city , hurtful to kings and provinces , and that they have rebelled in it in the past , for which cause that city was destroyed . * We notify the king that if this city is built and the walls of it set up , then you shall have no portion Beyond the River . * The message the king sent to Rehum the chancellor , and [to ] Shimshai the scribe , and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria , and to the rest Beyond the River , Peace ! And now , * the letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me . * And I commanded , and search has been made , and it is found that this city has lifted up itself against kings in the past , and rebellion and revolt have been made in it . * There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem , who have ruled over all Beyond the River . And toll , taxes , and custom was paid to them . * Now make a decree to cause these men to cease , and that this city be not built until the decree shall be given from me . * And take heed that you do not fail to do this . Why should damage grow to the hurt of [the ] kings ? * And when the copy of King Artaxerxes ' letter [was ] read before Rehum , and Shimshai the scribe , and their companions , they hurried to Jerusalem to the Jews , and made them stop by force and power . * Then the work of the house of God at Jerusalem ceased . So it ceased to the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia .

---