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In the reign of Ahasuerus ,
in the beginning of his reign ,
wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem .
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In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam ,
Mithredath ,
Tabeel ,
and the rest of his companions ,
to Artaxerxes king of Persia ;
and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian ,
and set forth in the Syrian language .
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Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort :
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then Rehum the chancellor ,
and Shimshai the scribe ,
and the rest of their companions ,
the Dinaites ,
and the Apharsathchites ,
the Tarpelites ,
the Apharsites ,
the Archevites ,
the Babylonians ,
the Shushanchites ,
the Dehaites ,
the Elamites ,
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and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over ,
and set in the city of Samaria ,
and in the rest of the country beyond the River ,
and so forth ,
wrote .
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This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king :
Your servants the men beyond the River ,
and so forth .
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Be it known to the king ,
that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem ;
they are building the rebellious and the bad city ,
and have finished the walls ,
and repaired the foundations .
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Be it known now to the king that if this city is built ,
and the walls finished ,
they will not pay tribute ,
custom ,
or toll ,
and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings .
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Now because we eat the salt of the palace ,
and it is not appropriate for us to see the king '
s dishonor ,
therefore have we sent and informed the king ;
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that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers :
so you shall find in the book of the records ,
and know that this city is a rebellious city ,
and hurtful to kings and provinces ,
and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time ;
for which cause was this city laid waste .
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We inform the king that ,
if this city be built ,
and the walls finished ,
by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River .
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Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor ,
and to Shimshai the scribe ,
and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria ,
and in the rest of the country beyond the River :
Peace ,
and so forth .
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The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me .
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I decreed ,
and search has been made ,
and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings ,
and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein .
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There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem ,
who have ruled over all the country beyond the River ;
and tribute ,
custom ,
and toll ,
was paid to them .
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Make a decree now to cause these men to cease ,
and that this city not be built ,
until a decree shall be made by me .
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Take heed that you not be slack herein :
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings ?
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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 to the Jews ,
and made them to cease by force and power .
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Then ceased the work of God '
s house which is at Jerusalem ;
and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia .