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EZR-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;
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the
people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a
letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
EZR-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,
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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;
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read
before me.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
EZR-4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
EZR-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.
EZR-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.
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