Ezra 4:5-7

Holman Christian Standard Bible

⁵ They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans^(A) throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.^[a](B)

Opposition to Rebuilding the City

⁶ At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,^[b](C) the people who were already in the land^[c](D) wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷ During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,^[d](E) Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic^(F) and translated.^[e][f]