Ezra 4:14-16

New International Reader's Version

¹⁴ We owe a lot to you. We don’t want to see dishonor brought on you. So we’re sending this letter to tell you what is going on. ¹⁵ Then you can have a search made in the official records. Have someone check the records of the kings who ruled before you. If you do, you will find out that Jerusalem is an evil city. It causes trouble for kings and countries. For a long time the city has refused to let anyone rule over it. That’s why it was destroyed. ¹⁶ We want you to know that this city shouldn’t be rebuilt. Its walls shouldn’t be made like new again. If that happens, you won’t have anything left west of the Euphrates River.