Esdras 4
Nueva Biblia Viva
Oposición samaritana
4 Cuando los enemigos de Judá y de Benjamín oyeron que los cautivos habían regresado y estaban reconstruyendo el templo, 2 se acercaron a Zorobabel y a los demás jefes, y les dijeron:
―Permítannos que trabajemos con ustedes, porque nosotros también adoramos a su Dios, y le hemos estado ofreciendo sacrificios desde que el rey Esarjadón, de Asiria, nos hizo venir aquí.
3 Pero Zorobabel, Jesúa y los demás jefes judíos les respondieron:
―No, ustedes no pueden tener parte en este trabajo. El templo del Dios de Israel debe ser edificado exclusivamente por los israelitas, porque así lo ha ordenado el rey Ciro, de Persia.
4-5 Entonces los habitantes de aquellos lugares trataron de desalentar y amedrentar a los judíos, para que no continuaran con el trabajo de reconstrucción. Hasta se atrevieron a pagarles a algunos de los consejeros, para que convencieran a la gente de que no siguieran trabajando. Esto ocurrió durante todo el reinado de Ciro, y hasta el de Darío, quienes fueron reyes de Persia.
6 Después, cuando comenzó a reinar el rey Asuero, conocido también como Jerjes, le escribieron una carta acusando a los habitantes de Judá y de Jerusalén. 7 Tiempo después, cuando Artajerjes comenzó a reinar en Persia, le enviaron una carta escrita en arameo y traducida al persa. Los que enviaron esa carta fueron: Bislán, Mitrídates, Tabel y sus compañeros.
8-9 También el comandante Rejún y el secretario Simsay le enviaron al rey Artajerjes una carta en contra de los habitantes de Jerusalén. Esta carta iba firmada, además, por jueces, gobernadores y los funcionarios de Persia, Érec, Babilonia y Susa, es decir, Elam. 10 Así mismo la firmaron los representantes de las demás naciones, cuyos habitantes habían sido sacados de su tierra y llevados a vivir en Jerusalén, Samaria y en la región que está al occidente del río Éufrates. El que hizo esto fue el famoso y respetado Asnapar.
11 Este es el texto de la carta que le enviaron al rey Artajerjes:
Al rey Artajerjes: Lo saludan sus leales súbditos de la orilla occidental del Éufrates. 12 Queremos informarle que los judíos enviados a Jerusalén desde Babilonia están reedificando su ciudad. La gente de esa ciudad tiene fama de ser rebelde y malvada. Ya han reedificado sus muros, y han reparado los cimientos del templo.
13 Pero nosotros queremos que usted sepa que si esta ciudad es reconstruida, la tesorería real saldrá perjudicada, porque se negarán a pagar los impuestos. 14 Su Majestad, nosotros hemos decidido informarle de esto, porque estamos muy agradecidos con usted, y no queremos que se le deshonre de ninguna manera. 15 Sugerimos que busque en los archivos para que vea cuán rebelde ha sido la gente de esta ciudad en el pasado. Es más, esa ciudad fue destruida debido a su larga historia de rebelión contra reyes y naciones que trataron de dominarla. 16 Queremos que usted sepa que si esta ciudad es reconstruida y se reedifican sus muros, bien puede olvidarse de la parte de su imperio de este lado del Éufrates, pues la habrá perdido.
17 El rey envió esta respuesta a Rejún, el gobernador, a Simsay, el secretario, y a sus compañeros que vivían en Samaria y en el resto del área occidental del río Éufrates.
18 Señores, reciban mis saludos. La carta que ustedes enviaron me fue traducida y leída. 19 Ordené buscar las crónicas, y he encontrado que Jerusalén, en el pasado, fue cuna de sublevaciones contra muchos reyes. La rebelión y la sedición son normales para la gente de esa ciudad. 20 He descubierto, además, que hubo en Jerusalén grandes reyes que dominaban todo el territorio de ese lado del río Éufrates y a quienes se le pagaba tributos, impuestos y rentas. 21 Por lo tanto, mientras no reciban una nueva orden de parte mía, ordenen que esa gente suspenda los trabajos de reedificación de esa ciudad. 22 No sean negligentes en esto, porque no podemos permitir que el mal aumente y el reino se vea perjudicado.
23 Cuando Rejún, Simsay y sus compañeros leyeron esta carta del rey Artajerjes fueron a Jerusalén y obligaron a los judíos a detener la construcción. 24 Las obras quedaron suspendidas hasta el segundo año del reinado del rey Darío, de Persia.
Ezra 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 2 The building of the Temple is hindered, and how, 11 Letters to Artaxerxes, and the answer.
1 But [a]the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity built the Temple unto the Lord God of Israel.
2 And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief fathers, and said unto them, We will build with you: for we seek the Lord your God as ye do, and we have sacrificed unto him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, which brought us up hither.
3 Then Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said unto them, It is not for you, but for us to build the house unto our God: [b]for we ourselves together will build it unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Wherefore the people of the land [c]discouraged the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.
5 And they [d]hired counselors against them, to hinder their devise all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of [e]Ahasuerus (in the beginning of his reign) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of [f]Artachshashta, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote when it was peace, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was the Aramites writing, and the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites.
8 Rehum the [g]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 their companions [h]Dinai, and Apharsathcai, Tarpelai, Persia, Archevai, Bablai, Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,
10 And the rest of the people whom the great and noble [i]Osnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are beyond the [j]River and [k]Cheeneth.
11 ¶ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto King Artaxerxes, THY SERVANTS the men beyond the River and Cheeneth, salute thee.
12 Be it known unto the King that the Jews, which came up from thee to us, are come unto Jerusalem (a city rebellious and wicked) and build, and lay the foundations of the walls, and have joined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that if this city be built, and the foundations of the walls laid, they will not give toll, tribute, nor [l]custom: so shalt thou hinder the king’s tribute.
14 Now therefore because [m]we have been brought up in the King’s palace, it was not meet for us to see the King’s dishonor: for this cause have we sent and certified the King,
15 That one may search in the book of the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou shalt find in the book of the Chronicles, and perceive that this city is rebellious and noisome unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition of old time, for the which cause this city was destroyed.
16 We certify the king therefore, that if this city be built, and the foundation of the walls laid, by this means the portion beyond the River shall not be thine.
17 ¶ The King sent an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwelt in Samaria, and unto the other beyond the River, [n]Shelam and [o]Cheeth.
18 ¶ The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me,
19 And I have commanded and they have searched, and found, that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and hath rebelled, and rebellion hath been committed therein.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all beyond the River, and toll, tribute and custom was given unto them.
21 Make ye now a decree that those men may cease, and that the city be not built, till I have given another commandment.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to hurt the king?
23 When the copy of king Artaxerxes’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and power.
24 Then [p]ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, and did stay unto the second year of Darius king of Persia.
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:1 Meaning, the inhabitants of Samaria, whom the king of Assyria had placed in the stead of the ten tribes, 2 Kings 17:24 and 19:37. These professed God, but worshipped idols also, and therefore were the greatest enemies to the true servants of God.
- Ezra 4:3 For they perceived what their pretence was, to wit, to erect idolatry instead of true religion.
- Ezra 4:4 Hebrew, made their hands weak.
- Ezra 4:5 They bribed the governors under the king to hinder their work: Thus they that halt, cannot abide that God should be purely served.
- Ezra 4:6 He was also called Artaxerxes, which is a Persian name, some think it was Cambises Cyrus’ son, or Darius, as verse 5.
- Ezra 4:7 Called Artaxerxes, which signifieth in the Persian tongue, an excellent warrior.
- Ezra 4:8 Or, counselor.
- Ezra 4:9 These were certain people which the Assyrians placed in Samaria instead of the ten tribes.
- Ezra 4:10 Some think it was Sennacherib, but rather Shalmaneser.
- Ezra 4:10 To wit, Euphrates: and he meaneth in respect of Babel that they dwelt beyond it.
- Ezra 4:10 Which were a certain people that envied the Jews.
- Ezra 4:13 Meaning, the gifts that are wont to be given to kings when they pass by any country.
- Ezra 4:14 Hebrew, in the Chaldea, we have eaten the salt of the palace.
- Ezra 4:17 Some read for Shalom, salutation or greeting.
- Ezra 4:17 Called also Cheeneth, as verse 11.
- Ezra 4:24 Not altogether for the Prophets exhorted them to continue, but they used less diligence because of the troubles.
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
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Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
