以斯拉记 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
建殿工作受阻
4 犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说流亡者回来要为以色列的上帝耶和华建殿， 2 就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请让我们与你们一同建造，因为我们像你们一样也寻求你们的上帝。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们到这里以后，我们就一直献祭给上帝。” 3 所罗巴伯、耶书亚和以色列其余的族长回答说：“你们不能参与建殿。遵照波斯王塞鲁士的吩咐，我们要自己为以色列的上帝耶和华建殿。”
4 于是，当地人阻挠犹大人，使他们不敢建殿， 5 从波斯王塞鲁士统治年间，一直到波斯王大流士统治期间，当地人收买谋士，破坏他们的计划。
阻扰重建耶路撒冷
6 亚哈随鲁统治初期，他们写信控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。
7 波斯王亚达薛西统治年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别及其同党上奏亚达薛西。奏章是用亚兰文写的，经过翻译后呈上。 8 利宏省长和伸帅书记也写了奏本给亚达薛西王，控告耶路撒冷人，内容如下： 9 “利宏省长、伸帅书记和我们的同僚底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人， 10 以及伟大尊贵的亚斯那巴迁来并安置在撒玛利亚各城与幼发拉底河西一带的人民， 11 上奏亚达薛西王，
“‘幼发拉底河西的臣民奏告亚达薛西王， 12 王该知道，从王那里到我们这里来的犹太人已经去了耶路撒冷，如今正在重建这座叛逆、罪恶之城，正在重建地基，修筑城墙。 13 王该知道，如果这城建好，城墙完工，他们将不再进贡、交赋、纳税，王的税收必受亏损。 14 我们既食王禄，就不能坐视王遭受损失，因此上奏于王。 15 请王查看先王的记录，必从中获悉这城是叛逆之城，危害列王和各省。自古以来，城中叛乱不断，因此才被毁灭。 16 我们愿王知道，这城一旦建好，城墙完工，幼发拉底河西之地就不再为王所有了。’”
17 王回复利宏省长、伸帅书记及其住在撒玛利亚与幼发拉底河西一带的同僚，说：“愿你们平安！ 18 你们呈上的奏章，经过翻译已奏报给我。 19 我已命人查考，发现这城自古以来屡屡背叛列王，是悖逆和叛乱之地。 20 强大的君王曾经统管耶路撒冷和幼发拉底河西全境，并向人们征收贡物和赋税。 21 现在你们要下令让这些人停止建造这城，等候我的谕旨。 22 要认真办理这事，不可迟延，何必容事情恶化，使王受亏损呢？”
23 利宏、伸帅书记及其同僚接到谕旨后，急忙赶往耶路撒冷，用武力强迫犹太人停工。
恢复建殿工作
24 于是，耶路撒冷上帝殿的重建工程停止了，一直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
Ezra 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple
4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin(A) heard that the returned exiles[a](B) were building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Him[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria[c] brought us here.”(C)
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,(D) since we alone must build it for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”(E) 4 Then the people who were already in the land[d] discouraged[e] the people of Judah and made them afraid(F) to build. 5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans(G) throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.[f](H)
Opposition to Rebuilding the City
6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,[g](I) the people who were already in the land[h](J) wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,[i](K) Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic(L) and translated.[j][k]
8 Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe(M) wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:
9 From Rehum[l] the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates[m] from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa(N) (that is, the people of Elam),[n] 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal[o] deported and settled in the cities of Samaria(O) and the region west of the Euphrates River.(P)
11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him:
To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:
12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished,(Q) they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax,(R) and the royal revenue[p] will suffer. 14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king,[q] and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king 15 that a search should be made in your fathers’ record books.(S) In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
Artaxerxes’ Reply
17 The king sent a reply to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River:
Greetings.
18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read[r](T) in my presence. 19 I issued a decree and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts in it. 20 Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. 21 Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.(U) 22 See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests[s] will suffer.
23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues,(V) they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed
24 Now the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.(W)
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:1 Lit the sons of the exile
- Ezra 4:2 Alt Hb tradition reads have not been sacrificing
- Ezra 4:2 Esar-haddon reigned 681–669 b.c.
- Ezra 4:4 Lit people of the land
- Ezra 4:4 Lit relaxed the hands of
- Ezra 4:5 Darius reigned 521–486 b.c.
- Ezra 4:6 = Xerxes; he reigned 486–465 b.c.
- Ezra 4:6 Lit people of the land
- Ezra 4:7 Artaxerxes reigned 465–425 b.c.
- Ezra 4:7 Lit translated. Aramaic:
- Ezra 4:7 Ezr 4:8–6:18 is written in Aram.
- Ezra 4:9 Lit Then Rehum
- Ezra 4:9 Or ambassadors
- Ezra 4:9 Aram obscure
- Ezra 4:10 Lit Osnappar
- Ezra 4:13 Aram obscure
- Ezra 4:14 Lit have eaten the salt of the palace
- Ezra 4:18 Or been read clearly
- Ezra 4:22 Lit the kings
Ezra 4
King James Version
4 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 And hired counsellors 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 Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, 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,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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