nkjv Ezra:4:6-16 SEEK
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In the reign of Ahasuerus ,
in the beginning of his reign ,
they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem .
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In the days of Artaxerxes also ,
Bishlam ,
Mithredath ,
Tabel ,
and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia ;
and the letter was written in Aramaic script ,
and translated into the Aramaic language .
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Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion :
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From Rehum the commander ,
Shimshai the scribe ,
and the rest of their companions--representatives of the Dinaites ,
the Apharsathchites ,
the Tarpelites ,
the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan ,
the Dehavites ,
the Elamites ,
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and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond the River --
and so forth .
* (
This is a copy of the letter that they sent him )
To King Artaxerxes from your servants ,
the men of the region beyond the River ,
and so forth :
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Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem ,
and are building the rebellious and evil city ,
and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations .
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Let it now be known to the king that ,
if this city is built and the walls completed ,
they will not pay tax ,
tribute ,
or custom ,
and the king '
s treasury will be diminished .
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Now because we receive support from the palace ,
it was not proper for us to see the king '
s dishonor ;
therefore we have sent and informed the king ,
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that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers .
And you will find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city ,
harmful to kings and provinces ,
and that they have incited sedition within the city in former times ,
for which cause this city was destroyed .
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We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed ,
the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River .