Ezra 4:6-16
1599 Geneva Bible
6 And in the reign of [a]Ahasuerus (in the beginning of his reign) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of [b]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 [c]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 [d]Dinai, and Apharsathcai, Tarpelai, Persia, Archevai, Bablai, Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai,
10 And the rest of the people whom the great and noble [e]Osnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are beyond the [f]River and [g]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 [h]custom: so shalt thou hinder the king’s tribute.
14 Now therefore because [i]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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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.
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.
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