4:1 And they that afflicted Juda and
Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity were building a house to
the Lord God of Israel.
4:2 And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said
to them, We will build with you; for as ye [do], we seek [to serve] our God,
and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who
brought us hither.
4:3 then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of
Israel said to them, [It is] not for us and you to build a house to our God,
for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king
of the Persians commanded us.
4:4 And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and
hindered them in building,
4:5 and [continued] hiring [persons] against them, plotting to frustrate
their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the
reign of Darius king of the Persians.
4:6 And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they
wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Arthasastha, Tabeel wrote peaceably to Mithradates
and to the rest of his fellow-servants: the tribute-gatherer wrote to
Arthasastha king of the Persians a writing in the Syrian tongue, and [the
same] interpreted.
4:8 Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe wrote an epistle against
Jerusalem to King Arthasastha, [saying,]
4:9 Thus has judged Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest
of our fellow-servants, the Dinaeans, the Apharsathachaeans, the
Tarphalaeans, the Apharsaeans, the Archyaeans, the Babylonians, the
Susanachaeans, Davaeans,
4:10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Assenaphar
removed, and settled them in the cities of Somoron, and the rest [of them]
beyond the river.
4:11 This [is] the purport of the letter, which they sent to him: Thy
servants the men beyond the river to king Arthasastha.
4:12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from thee to us have
come to Jerusalem the rebellious and wicked city, which they are building,
and its walls are set in order, and they have established the foundations of
it.
4:13 Now then be it known to the king, that if that city be built up, and
its walls completed, thou shalt have no tribute, neither will they pay
[anything], and this injures kings.
4:14 And it is not lawful for us to see the dishonour of the king: therefore
have we sent and made known [the matter] to the king;
4:15 That examination may be made in thy fathers' book of record; and thou
shalt find, and thou shalt know that city [is] rebellious, and does harm to
kings and countries, and there are in the midst of it from very old time
refuges for [runaway] slaves: therefore this city has been made desolate.
4:16 We therefore declare to the king, that, if that city be built, and its
walls be set up, thou shalt not have peace.
4:17 Then the king sent to Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and
the rest of their fellow-servants who dwelt in Samaria, and the rest beyond
the river, [saying,] Peace; and he says,
4:18 The tribute-gatherer whom ye sent to us, has been called before me.
4:19 And a decree has been made by me, and we have examined, and found that
city of old time exalts itself against kings, and that rebellions and
desertions take place within it.
4:20 And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the
[country] beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to
them.
4:21 Now therefore make a decree to stop the work of those men, and that
city shall no more be built.
4:22 [See] that ye be careful of the decree, [not] to be remiss concerning
this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of
kings.
4:23 Then the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read [the letter] before
Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and
they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease
with horses and an [armed] force.
4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God in Jerusalem, and it was at a
stand until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians. |
4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and
Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto
the LORD God of Israel;
4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said
unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do
sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought
us up hither.
4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of
Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto
our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel,
as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah,
and troubled them in building,
4:5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the
days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they
unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the
rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of
the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian
tongue.
4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against
Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
4:9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest
of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites,
and the Elamites,
4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought
over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side
the river, and at such a time.
4:11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto
Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at
such a time.
4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us
are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have
set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the
walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so
thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
4:14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not
meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and
certified the king;
4:15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so
shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a
rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have
moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city
destroyed.
4:16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls
thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the
river.
4:17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai
the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and
unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
4:19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this
city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion
and sedition have been made therein.
4:20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over
all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto
them.
4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city
be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to
the hurt of the kings?
4:23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and
Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to
Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it
ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. |