1 Esdras 2:24-26

Revised Standard Version

²⁴ Therefore we now make known to you, O lord and king, that if this city is built and its walls finished, you will no longer have access to Coelesyria and Phoenic′ia.”

²⁵ Then the king, in reply to Rehum the recorder and Beltethmus and Shim′shai the scribe and the others associated with them and living in Samar′ia and Syria and Phoenic′ia, wrote as follows:

²⁶ “I have read the letter which you sent me. So I ordered search to be made, and it has been found that this city from of old has fought against kings,