Ezra 4:17-24
Expanded Bible
17 King Artaxerxes sent this answer:
To Rehum the ·governor [commander] and Shimshai the ·secretary [scribe], to all their ·fellow workers [colleagues] living in Samaria [C northern Israel], and to those ·in other places in [throughout] Trans-Euphrates [v. 10].
·Greetings [Peace].
18 The ·letter [document] you sent to us has been translated and read ·to me [L in my presence]. 19 I ordered ·the records to be searched [L a search], and it was done. We found that ·Jerusalem [L the city] has a history of ·disobedience to [rising against] kings and has been a place of ·problems and trouble [rebellion and revolt/sedition]. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings who have ruled over the whole area of Trans-Euphrates [v. 10], and ·taxes of all kinds [L tribute, custom, and toll] have been paid to them. 21 Now, ·give an order [issue a decree] for those men to stop work. The city of Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until I ·say so [issue a decree]. 22 ·Make sure you do this [Do not neglect this matter], ·because if they continue, it will hurt the government [—why should the danger/damage grow and harm the king?].
23 As soon as a copy of the ·letter [document] that King Artaxerxes sent was read to Rehum and Shimshai the ·secretary [scribe] and ·the others [their colleagues], they went to the Jews in Jerusalem and ·forced them [or compelled them by force of arms] to stop building.
24 So the work on the ·Temple [L house] of God in Jerusalem ·stopped [came to a standstill] until the second year Darius was king of Persia.
Read full chapterThe Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
