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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Ezra 4</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/bsb/spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ezra/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc//ezra/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="/ezra/">Ezra</a> > Ezra 4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ezra/3.htm" title="Ezra 3">◄</a> Ezra 4 <a href="../ezra/5.htm" title="Ezra 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div align="center" id="jump2"><a href="/niv/ezra/4.htm">NIV</a> • <a href="/nlt/ezra/4.htm">NLT</a> • <a href="/esv/ezra/4.htm">ESV</a> • <a href="/kjv/ezra/4.htm">KJV</a> • <a href="/nkjv/ezra/4.htm">NKJ</a> • <a href="/nasb/ezra/4.htm">NAS</a></div><br /><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="1%" valign="top">BSB</td><td width="99%" valign="top" align="right"><a href="/parallel/ezra/4.htm" style="font-weight:normal" title="Parallel Chapters">Parallel Chapters ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><A name="2"></a><p class="hdg">Adversaries Hinder the Work<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, <A name="3"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.” <A name="4"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.” <A name="5"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. <A name="6"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. <A name="7"></a><p class="hdg">Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">a</a></span> an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. <A name="8"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">b</a></span> <A name="9"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: <A name="10"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, <A name="11"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">c</a></span> deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">d</a></span> <A name="12"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) <p class="tab1stline"> To King Artaxerxes, <p class="tab1stline"> From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates: <A name="13"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations. <A name="14"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. <A name="15"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Now because we are in the service of the palace<span class="fn"><a href="#fn">e</a></span> and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king <A name="16"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. <A name="17"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates. <A name="18"></a><p class="hdg">The Decree of Artaxerxes<p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>Then the king sent this reply: <p class="tab1stline"> To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: <p class="tab1stline"> Greetings. <A name="19"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. <A name="20"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition. <A name="21"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them. <A name="22"></a><p class="tab1stline"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. <A name="23"></a><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer? <A name="24"></a><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="/ezra/4-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.</p><A name="fn"></a><div id="fnlink"><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br><br><span class="fnverse">6</span> <span class="footnotesbot">a</span> Hebrew <i>Ahasuerus</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">7</span> <span class="footnotesbot">b</span> The original text of <a href="../ezra/4.htm#8">Ezra 4:8</a> through <a href="../ezra/6.htm#18">Ezra 6:18</a> is in Aramaic.<br><span class="fnverse">10</span> <span class="footnotesbot">c</span> Aramaic <i>Osnappar</i><span class="thin"> </span>, another name for <i>Ashurbanipal</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><span class="fnverse">10</span> <span class="footnotesbot">d</span> Aramaic <i>beyond the River</i><span class="thin"> </span>; also in verses 11, 16, 17, and 20<br><span class="fnverse">14</span> <span class="footnotesbot">e</span> Literally <i>because the salt of the palace is the salt we eat</i><span class="thin"> </span><br><br /></div><br /></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Berean Bible (<a href=http://berean.bible>www.Berean.Bible</a>) <a href=http://bereanbible.com>Berean Study Bible (BSB)</a> © 2016, 2020 by <a href=http://biblehub.com>Bible Hub</a> and <a href=http://berean.bible>Berean.Bible</a>. 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