Ezra 4:6-16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Opposition to Rebuilding the City
6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,[a](A) the people who were already in the land[b](B) wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,[c](C) Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic(D) and translated.[d][e]
8 Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe(E) wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:
9 From Rehum[f] the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates[g] from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa(F) (that is, the people of Elam),[h] 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal[i] deported and settled in the cities of Samaria(G) and the region west of the Euphrates River.(H)
11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him:
To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:
12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished,(I) they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax,(J) and the royal revenue[j] will suffer. 14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king,[k] and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king 15 that a search should be made in your fathers’ record books.(K) In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
Footnotes
- Ezra 4:6 = Xerxes; he reigned 486–465 b.c.
- Ezra 4:6 Lit people of the land
- Ezra 4:7 Artaxerxes reigned 465–425 b.c.
- Ezra 4:7 Lit translated. Aramaic:
- Ezra 4:7 Ezr 4:8–6:18 is written in Aram.
- Ezra 4:9 Lit Then Rehum
- Ezra 4:9 Or ambassadors
- Ezra 4:9 Aram obscure
- Ezra 4:10 Lit Osnappar
- Ezra 4:13 Aram obscure
- Ezra 4:14 Lit have eaten 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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