Ezra 4:6-16
New Living Translation
Later Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes
6 Years later when Xerxes[a] began his reign, the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Even later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia,[b] the enemies of Judah, led by Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel, sent a letter to Artaxerxes in the Aramaic language, and it was translated for the king.
8 [c]Rehum the governor and Shimshai the court secretary wrote the letter, telling King Artaxerxes about the situation in Jerusalem. 9 They greeted the king for all their colleagues—the judges and local leaders, the people of Tarpel, the Persians, the Babylonians, and the people of Erech and Susa (that is, Elam). 10 They also sent greetings from the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal[d] had deported and relocated in Samaria and throughout the neighboring lands of the province west of the Euphrates River.[e] 11 This is a copy of their letter:
“To King Artaxerxes, from your loyal subjects in the province west of the Euphrates River.
12 “The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. 13 And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.
14 “Since we are your loyal subjects[f] and do not want to see the king dishonored in this way, we have sent the king this information. 15 We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it. 16 We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.”
Footnotes
- 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus, another name for Xerxes. He reigned 486–465 B.c.
- 4:7 Artaxerxes reigned 465–424 B.c.
- 4:8 The original text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.
- 4:10a Aramaic Osnappar, another name for Ashurbanipal.
- 4:10b Aramaic the province beyond the river; also in 4:11, 16, 17, 20.
- 4:14 Aramaic Since we eat the salt of the palace.
Ezra 4:6-16
International Standard Version
6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, they lodged a formal accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 While Artaxerxes was king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their co-conspirators wrote in the Aramaic language and script to King Artaxerxes of Persia.
Aramaic:[a]
8 Governor Rehum and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 From Governor Rehum
Shimshai the scribe
The rest of their colleagues—
Judges, envoys, officials, Persians, the people of Erech, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites) 10 and many other nations whom the great and honorable Osnappar deported and resettled in Samaria and in the rest of the province beyond the Euphrates[b] River.
11 This is the text of the letter they sent.
To: King Artaxerxes
From: Your servants, the men of the province beyond the Euphrates[c] River.
12 May the king be advised that the Jews who came from you to us have reached Jerusalem and are rebuilding a rebellious and wicked city, having completed its walls and repaired its foundations.
13 May the king be further advised that if this city is rebuilt and its walls erected, its citizens[d] will refuse to pay tributes, taxes, and tariffs, thereby restricting royal revenues.
14 Now, because we are royal employees[e] and are committed to preserving the reputation of the king, we have written to the king and have declared its contents to be true,[f] 15 urging[g] that a search may be made in the official registers of your predecessors.[h] You will discover in the registers that[i] this city is a rebellious city, that it is damaging to both kings and provinces, that it has been moved to sedition from time immemorial, and that because of this it was destroyed.
16 We certify to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will lose your land holdings in the province beyond the Euphrates[j] River.
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:7 From this point through 6:18, the text of MT is in Aramaic.
- Ezra 4:10 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
- Ezra 4:11 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
- Ezra 4:13 Lit. erected, they
- Ezra 4:14 Lit. we received salt from the palace
- Ezra 4:14 Lit. and certified to the king
- Ezra 4:15 The Aram. lacks urging
- Ezra 4:15 Lit. fathers
- Ezra 4:15 Lit. books and will know
- Ezra 4:16 The Aram. lacks Euphrates
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