Ezra 4:1-6
New International Version
Opposition to the Rebuilding
4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building(A) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon(B) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”(C)
3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”(D)
4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.[a](E) 5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes
6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,[b](F) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.(G)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
Bible Gateway Recommends
![NIV, Journal the Word Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print: Reflect, Take Notes, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780310450252.jpg?v=1714497953)
![NIV, The Story, Hardcover, Comfort Print: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/files/9780310458197.jpg?v=1725354939)
![NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow God’s Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780310450405.jpg?v=1660679392)
![NIV, Artisan Collection Bible, Gilded Edges, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780310454229.jpg?v=1717017749)
![NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0044/1309/6047/products/9780785212379.jpg?v=1645115959)