Chapter 4

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard⁴ that the children of the captivity builded⁶ the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

Then they came⁴ to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said⁴ unto them, Let us build⁴ with you: for we seek⁴ your God, as ye [do]; and we do sacrifice⁶ unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up⁵⁶ hither.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said⁴ unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build² an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build⁴ unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded¹⁴ us.

Then the people of the land weakened¹⁸ the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled^{18 1089 18} them in building,²

And hired⁶ counsellors⁶ against them, to frustrate⁵³ their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote¹ they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants⁶ of Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote¹ Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written⁷ in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted³⁰ in the Syrian tongue.

Rehum the chancellor ²⁹⁴² and Shimshai the scribe wrote⁵⁷ a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, ²⁹⁴² and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,

And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over,⁸⁵ and set^{85 1994} in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the river, and at such a time.

This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent⁵⁷ unto him, [even] unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.

Be it⁶⁰ known⁶³ unto the king, that the Jews which came up⁶⁵ from thee to us are come⁵⁷ unto Jerusalem, building⁶¹ the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up^{122 3635 124} the walls [thereof], and joined⁸⁸ the foundations.

Be it⁶⁰ known⁶³ now unto the king, that, if this city be builded,⁸³ and the walls set up¹²⁴ [again, then] will they not pay⁶⁰ toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage⁸⁸ the revenue of the kings.

Now because ^{3606 1768} we have⁵⁷ maintenance from [the king's] palace, and it was not meet⁶¹ for us to see⁵⁸ the king's dishonour, therefore ¹⁸³⁶ have we sent⁵⁷ and certified⁸⁵ the king;

That search⁷⁰ may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find⁸⁸ in the book of the records, and know⁶⁰ that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful⁸⁹ unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved⁶² sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.⁹⁰

We certify⁸⁹ the king that, if this city be builded⁸³ [again], and the walls thereof set up,¹²⁴ by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

[Then] sent⁵⁷ the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, ²⁹⁴² and [to] Shimshai the scribe, and [to] the rest of their companions that dwell⁶¹ in Samaria, and [unto] the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

The letter which ye sent⁵⁷ unto us hath been plainly⁷² read⁶³ before me.

And I commanded,^{63 2942} and search⁶⁷ hath been made, and it is found⁸⁵ that this city of old time hath made insurrection⁷⁶ against kings, and [that] rebellion and sedition have been made⁸⁰ therein.

There have been⁵⁷ mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid⁸⁰ unto them.

Give⁵⁹ ye now commandment to cause these men to cease,⁵⁸ and that this city be not builded,⁸³ until [another] commandment shall be given⁷⁹ from me.

Take heed^{59 2095 61} now that ye fail not to do ^{5648 58} this: why should damage grow⁶⁰ to the hurt⁸⁶ of the kings?

Now when ¹⁷⁶⁸ the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter [was] read⁶³ before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up⁵⁷ in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease⁵⁷ by force and power.

Then ceased⁵⁷ the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased^{57 989 61} unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.