Esdras 4

1Now when the adversaries^H6862 of Judah^H3063 and Benjamin^H1144 heard^H8085 that the children^H1121 of the captivity^H1473 were building^H1129 a temple^H1964 unto Jehovah^H3068, the God^H430 of Israel^H3478; 2then they drew^H5066 near to Zerubbabel^H2216, and to the heads^H7218 of fathers^H1' houses, and said^H559 unto them, Let us build^H1129 with you; for we seek^H1875 your God^H430, as ye do; and we sacrifice^H2076 unto him since the days^H3117 of Esar-haddon^H634 king^H4428 of Assyria^H804, who brought us up hither^H5927. 3But Zerubbabel^H2216, and Jeshua^H3442, and the rest^H7605 of the heads^H7218 of fathers^H1' houses of Israel^H3478, said^H559 unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building^H1129 a house^H1004 unto our God^H430; but we ourselves together^H3162 will build^H1129 unto Jehovah^H3068, the God^H430 of Israel^H3478, as king^H4428 Cyrus^H3566 the king^H4428 of Persia^H6539 hath commanded^H6680 us. 4Then the people^H5971 of the land^H776 weakened^H7503 the hands^H3027 of the people^H5971 of Judah^H3063, and troubled^H926 them in building^H1129, 5and hired^H7936 counsellors^H3289 against them, to frustrate^H6565 their purpose^H6098, all the days^H3117 of Cyrus^H3566 king^H4428 of Persia^H6539, even until the reign^H4438 of Darius^H1867 king^H4428 of Persia^H6539. 6And in the reign^H4438 of Ahasuerus^H325, in the beginning^H8462 of his reign^H4438, wrote^H3789 they an accusation^H7855 against the inhabitants^H3427 of Judah^H3063 and Jerusalem^H3389. 7And in the days^H3117 of Artaxerxes^H783 wrote^H3789 Bishlam^H1312, Mithredath^H4990, Tabeel^H2870, and the rest^H7605 of his companions^H3674, unto Artaxerxes^H783 king^H4428 of Persia^H6539; and the writing^H3791 of the letter^H5406 was written^H3789 in the Syrian character^H762, and set forth^H8638 in the Syrian tongue^H762. 8Rehum^H7348 the chancellor^H1169 and Shimshai^H8124 the scribe^H5613 wrote^H3790 a^H2298 letter^H104 against^H5922 Jerusalem^H3390 to Artaxerxes^H783 the king^H4430 in this sort^H3660: 9then^H116 wrote Rehum^H7348 the chancellor^H1169, and Shimshai^H8124 the scribe^H5613, and the rest^H7606 of their companions^H3675, the Dinaites^H1784, and the Apharsathchites^H671, the Tarpelites^H2967, the Apharsites^H670, the Archevites^H756, the Babylonians^H896, the Shushanchites^H7801, the Dehaites^H1723, the Elamites^H5962, 10and the rest^H7606 of the nations^H524 whom^H1768 the great^H7229 and noble^H3358 Osnappar^H620 brought over^H1541, and set^H3488 in the city^H7149 of Samaria^H8115, and in the rest^H7606 of the country beyond^H5675 the River^H5103, and so forth^H3706. 11This^H1836 is the copy^H6573 of the letter^H104 that^H1768 they sent^H7972 unto^H5922 Artaxerxes^H783 the king^H4430: Thy servants^H5649 the men^H606 beyond^H5675 the River^H5103, and so forth^H3706. 12Be it^H1934 known^H3046 unto the king^H4430, that the Jews^H3062 that^H1768 came up^H5559 from^H4481 thee^H3890 are come^H858 to us^H5922 unto Jerusalem^H3390; they are building^H1124 the rebellious^H4779 and the bad^H873 city^H7149, and have finished^H3635 the walls^H7792, and repaired^H2338 the foundations^H787. 13Be it known^H3046 now^H3705 unto the king^H4430, that, if^H2006 this^H1791 city^H7149 be builded^H1124, and the walls^H7792 finished^H3635, they will not^H3809 pay^H5415 tribute^H1093, custom^H1983, or toll^H4061, and in the end it will be hurtful^H5142 unto^H674 the kings^H4430. 14Now^H3705 because^H6903 we eat^H1768 the salt^H4415 of the palace^H1965, and it is not^H3809 meet^H749 for us to see^H2370 the king's^H4430 dishonor^H6173, therefore^H5922 have we sent^H7972 and certified^H3046 the king^H4430; 15that search^H1240 may be made in the book^H5609 of the records^H1799 of thy fathers^H2: so shalt thou find^H7912 in the book^H5609 of the records^H1799, and know^H3046 that this^H1791 city^H7149 is a rebellious^H4779 city^H7149, and hurtful^H5142 unto kings^H4430 and provinces^H4083, and that they have moved^H5648 sedition^H849 within the same^H1459 of^H4481 old^H5957 time^H3118; for^H5922 which^H1836 cause was this^H1791 city^H7149 laid waste^H2718. 16We^H586 certify^H3046 the king^H4430 that, if^H2006 this^H1791 city^H7149 be builded^H1124, and the walls^H7792 finished^H3635, by this^H1836 means^H6903 thou shalt have^H383 no^H3809 portion^H2508 beyond^H5675 the River^H5103. 17 Then sent^H7972 the king^H4430 an answer^H6600 unto^H5922 Rehum^H7348 the chancellor^H1169, and to^H5922 Shimshai^H8124 the scribe^H5613, and to the rest^H7606 of their companions^H3675 that dwell^H3488 in Samaria^H8115, and in the rest^H7606 of the country beyond^H5675 the River^H5103: Peace^H8001, and so forth. 18The letter^H5407 which ye sent^H7972 unto us^H5922 hath been plainly^H6568 read^H7123 before^H6925 me. 19And I^H4481 decreed^H7761, and search^H1240 hath been made, and it is found^H7912 that this^H1791 city^H7149 of^H4481 old^H5957 time^H3118 hath made insurrection^H5376 against^H5922 kings^H4430, and that rebellion^H4776 and sedition^H849 have been made^H5648 therein. 20There have been^H1934 mighty^H8624 kings^H4430 also over^H5922 Jerusalem^H3390, who have ruled^H7990 over all^H3606 the country beyond^H5675 the River^H5103; and tribute^H1093, custom^H1983, and toll^H4061, was paid^H3052 unto them. 21Make^H7761 ye now^H3705 a decree^H2942 to cause^H989 these^H479 men^H1400 to cease^H989, and that this^H1791 city^H7149 be not^H3809 builded^H1124, until^H5705 a decree^H2941 shall be made^H7761 by me^H4481. 22And take heed^H1934 that ye be^H5922 not slack^H7960 herein^H1836: why^H4101 should damage^H2257 grow^H7680 to the hurt^H5142 of the kings^H4430? 23Then when^H4481 the copy^H6573 of king^H4430 Artaxerxes^H783' letter^H5407 was read^H7123 before^H6925 Rehum^H7348, and Shimshai^H8124 the scribe^H5613, and their companions^H3675, they went in haste^H924 to^H5922 Jerusalem^H3390 unto^H5922 the Jews^H3062, and made them^H1994 to^H5922 cease^H989 by force^H153 and power^H2429. 24Then^H116 ceased^H989 the work^H5673 of the house^H1005 of God^H426 which is at Jerusalem^H3390; and it ceased^H1934 until^H5705 the second^H8648 year^H8140 of the reign^H4437 of Darius^H1868 king^H4430 of Persia^H6540.