以斯拉记 4
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
敌党谋阻建殿之工
4 犹大和便雅悯的敌人，听说被掳归回的人为耶和华以色列的神建造殿宇， 2 就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：“请容我们与你们一同建造，因为我们寻求你们的神，与你们一样。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常祭祀神。” 3 但所罗巴伯、耶书亚和其余以色列的族长对他们说：“我们建造神的殿与你们无干，我们自己为耶和华以色列的神协力建造，是照波斯王居鲁士所吩咐的。” 4 那地的民就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们。 5 从波斯王居鲁士年间直到波斯王大流士登基的时候，贿买谋士，要败坏他们的谋算。 6 在亚哈随鲁才登基的时候，上本控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。
上告于亚达薛西
7 亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别和他们的同党上本奏告波斯王亚达薛西，本章是用亚兰文字亚兰方言。 8 省长利宏、书记伸帅要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亚达薛西王： 9 “省长利宏、书记伸帅和同党的底拿人、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 和尊大的亚斯那巴所迁移，安置在撒马利亚城并大河西一带地方的人等， 11 上奏亚达薛西王说：河西的臣民云云。 12 王该知道，从王那里上到我们这里的犹大人已经到耶路撒冷，重建这反叛恶劣的城，筑立根基，建造城墙。 13 如今王该知道，他们若建造这城，城墙完毕就不再与王进贡、交课、纳税，终久王必受亏损。 14 我们既食御盐，不忍见王吃亏，因此奏告于王。 15 请王考察先王的实录，必在其上查知这城是反叛的城，于列王和各省有害，自古以来其中常有悖逆的事，因此这城曾被拆毁。 16 我们谨奏王知，这城若再建造，城墙完毕，河西之地王就无份了。”
王令止工
17 那时王谕复省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党，就是住撒马利亚并河西一带地方的人，说：“愿你们平安云云。 18 你们所上的本，已经明读在我面前。 19 我已命人考查，得知此城古来果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。 20 从前耶路撒冷也有大君王统管河西全地，人就给他们进贡、交课、纳税。 21 现在你们要出告示命这些人停工，使这城不得建造，等我降旨。 22 你们当谨慎，不可迟延，为何容害加重使王受亏损呢？”
23 亚达薛西王的上谕读在利宏和书记伸帅并他们的同党面前，他们就急忙往耶路撒冷去见犹大人，用势力强迫他们停工。 24 于是，在耶路撒冷神殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
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
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
