4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”
4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”
4:4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.
4:5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
4:6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language.
4:8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:
4:9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates–the judges and officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
4:10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.
4:11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men of Trans-Euphrates:
4:12 The king should know that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.
4:13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer.
4:14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,
4:15 so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place of rebellion from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
4:16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
4:17 The king sent this reply: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates: Greetings.
4:18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence.
4:19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.
4:20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.
4:21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
4:22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?
4:23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.
4:24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Jehovah the God of Israel,
4:2 They drew near to Zerubbabel and to the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assyria, who brought us up here.
4:3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has 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 they hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus the king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius the king of Persia.
4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes the king of Persia; and the script of the letter was written in Aramaic and translated into Aramaic.
4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows
4:9 (Then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the judges, and the officials, the Tarpelites, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is the Elamites,
4:10 And the rest of the nations, whom the great and noble Osnappar carried into exile and settled in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the province beyond the River, wrote. And now
4:11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him): To Artaxerxes the king, from your servants the men beyond the River. And now
4:12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and have repaired the foundations.
4:13 Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, taxes, or tolls; and in the end it will cause damage to the kings.
4:14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king’s dishonor, we therefore have sent this letter to inform the king,
4:15 So that a search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers, and you may find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city and one that causes damage to kings and provinces and that they have stirred up sedition within it in times past; for which reason this city was laid waste.
4:16 We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, then you will have no portion beyond the River.
4:17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their companions who dwelt in Samaria and in the rest of the province beyond the River: Greetings. And now
4:18 The letter which you sent to us has been read before me in translation.
4:19 And a decree has been issued by me, and a search has been made; and it was found that this city in times past has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it,
4:20 And that there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the lands beyond the River; and tribute, taxes and tolls were paid to them.
4:21 Now make a decree to stop these men, so that this city is not rebuilt until a decree is made by me.
4:22 And take care not to be negligent in this. Why should damage grow to the detriment of the kings?
4:23 Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force and power.
4:24 So the work of the house of God, which is in Jerusalem, ceased; and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.