Ezra 4
Expanded Bible
Enemies of the Rebuilding
4 When the enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned ·captives [exiles] were building a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel [C a descendant of David; 1 Chr. 3:19] and the ·leaders of the families [L heads of the fathers]. The enemies said, “Let us help you build, because we are like you and ·want to worship [L seek] your God. We have been offering sacrifices to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria [C 680–669 bc], who brought us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua [3:2], and the ·leaders [L heads of the fathers] of Israel answered, “You will ·not help us build [have no part in building] a ·Temple [L house] to our God. We will build it ·ourselves [alone] for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us to do [1:2–4].”
4 Then the people around them tried to discourage the people of Judah by making them afraid to build. 5 Their enemies ·hired others [bribed officials] to ·delay [frustrate] the building plans ·during [throughout] the time Cyrus was king of Persia. And it continued to the time Darius was king of Persia [C 522–486 bc].
More Problems for the Builders
6 When ·Xerxes [L Ahasuerus; C ruled 486–465 bc; Esth. 1:1] first became king, those enemies ·wrote [filed; lodged] a ·letter [L accusation] against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 When Artaxerxes [C ruled about 465–425 B.C.] became king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and those with them wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in the Aramaic language and translated.
8 Rehum the ·governor [commander] and Shimshai the governor’s ·secretary [scribe] and those with them wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king. It said:
9 This letter is from Rehum the ·governor [commander], Shimshai the ·secretary [scribe], and their ·fellow workers [colleagues]—the judges and important officers over the men who came from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, and Babylon, the Elamite people of Susa, 10 and those whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal [L Osnappar; C ruled 668–627 bc] ·forced out of their countries [deported] and settled in the city of Samaria and in other places of the Trans-Euphrates [C provinces west of the Euphrates River].
11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to Artaxerxes.)
To King Artaxerxes.
From your servants who live in Trans-Euphrates [v. 10].
12 King Artaxerxes, you should know that the Jews who came to us from you have gone to Jerusalem to rebuild that evil ·city that refuses to obey [and rebellious city]. They are ·fixing [restoring; rebuilding; finishing] the walls and repairing the foundations of the buildings.
13 Now, King Artaxerxes, ·you should know [L let it be known] that if Jerusalem is ·built [rebuilt] and its walls are ·fixed [completed; restored], Jerusalem will not pay ·taxes of any kind [L tribute, custom, or toll]. Then the ·amount of money your government collects [king’s/royal treasury/revenue] will ·be less [suffer]. 14 Since we ·must be loyal to the government [L eat the palace’s salt], ·we don’t want [it is not proper] to see the king ·dishonored [damaged]. So we ·are writing to let the king know [L send and inform the king]. 15 ·We suggest you […so that you may] search the ·records [annals; archives] of ·the kings who ruled before you [L your fathers/ancestors]. You will find out that the city of Jerusalem ·refuses to obey [L is a rebellious city] and ·makes trouble for kings and areas controlled by Persia [troublesome for kings and provinces]. ·Since long ago it has been a place where disobedience has started [It has a long history of revolts/sedition]. That is why it was destroyed. 16 We want you to know, King Artaxerxes, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls ·fixed [completed; restored], you will be left with ·nothing [no possessions] in Trans-Euphrates [C provinces west of the Euphrates River].
17 King Artaxerxes sent this answer:
To Rehum the ·governor [commander] and Shimshai the ·secretary [scribe], to all their ·fellow workers [colleagues] living in Samaria [C northern Israel], and to those ·in other places in [throughout] Trans-Euphrates [v. 10].
·Greetings [Peace].
18 The ·letter [document] you sent to us has been translated and read ·to me [L in my presence]. 19 I ordered ·the records to be searched [L a search], and it was done. We found that ·Jerusalem [L the city] has a history of ·disobedience to [rising against] kings and has been a place of ·problems and trouble [rebellion and revolt/sedition]. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings who have ruled over the whole area of Trans-Euphrates [v. 10], and ·taxes of all kinds [L tribute, custom, and toll] have been paid to them. 21 Now, ·give an order [issue a decree] for those men to stop work. The city of Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until I ·say so [issue a decree]. 22 ·Make sure you do this [Do not neglect this matter], ·because if they continue, it will hurt the government [—why should the danger/damage grow and harm the king?].
23 As soon as a copy of the ·letter [document] that King Artaxerxes sent was read to Rehum and Shimshai the ·secretary [scribe] and ·the others [their colleagues], they went to the Jews in Jerusalem and ·forced them [or compelled them by force of arms] to stop building.
24 So the work on the ·Temple [L house] of God in Jerusalem ·stopped [came to a standstill] until the second year Darius was king of Persia.
Ezra 4
New King James Version
Resistance to Rebuilding the Temple
4 Now when (A)the [a]adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him (B)since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, (C)“You may do nothing with us to build a [b]house for our God; but we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as (D)King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” 4 Then (E)the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building, 5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of (F)Darius king of Persia.
Rebuilding of Jerusalem Opposed
6 In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 In the days of (G)Artaxerxes also, [c]Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in (H)Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language. 8 [d]Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion:
9 [e]From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions—representatives of (I)the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and [f]Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites, 10 (J)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 [g]the River—(K)and[h] so forth.
11 (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, [i]and so forth:
12 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 (L)rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its (M)walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay (N)tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished. 14 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, 15 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.
16 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.
17 The king sent an answer:
To Rehum the commander, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and to the remainder beyond the River:
Peace, [j]and so forth.
18 The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me. 19 And [k]I gave the command, and a search has been made, and it was found that this city in former times has revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition have been fostered in it. 20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have (O)ruled over all the region (P)beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them. 21 Now [l]give the command to make these men cease, that this city may not be built until the command is given by me.
22 Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?
23 Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease. 24 Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:1 enemies
- Ezra 4:3 Temple
- Ezra 4:7 Or in peace
- Ezra 4:8 The original language of Ezra 4:8 through 6:18 is Aramaic.
- Ezra 4:9 Lit. Then
- Ezra 4:9 Or Susa
- Ezra 4:10 The Euphrates
- Ezra 4:10 Lit. and now
- Ezra 4:11 Lit. and now
- Ezra 4:17 Lit. and now
- Ezra 4:19 Lit. by me a decree has been put forth
- Ezra 4:21 put forth a decree
Ezra 4
English Standard Version
Adversaries Oppose the Rebuilding
4 Now when (A)the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever (B)since the days of (C)Esarhaddon king of Assyria (D)who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, (E)“You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, (F)as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
4 Then (G)the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of (H)Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
The Letter to King Artaxerxes
7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and (I)Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written (J)in Aramaic and translated.[a] 8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the (K)judges, the (L)governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the (M)Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble (N)Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River. 11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are (O)finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay (P)tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace[b] and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.”
The King Orders the Work to Cease
17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you sent to us has been (Q)plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, (R)who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom (S)tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”
23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
