Ezra 4

1 ♥ 📝 N ow 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

2 ♥ 📝 then 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

3 ♥ 📝 But 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.

4 ♥ 📝 Then 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

5 ♥ 📝 and 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

6 ♥ 📝 And 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

7 ♥ 📝 And 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

8 ♥ 📝 Rehum^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

9 ♥ 📝 then^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

10 ♥ 📝 and 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

11 ♥ 📝 This^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

12 ♥ 📝 Be 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

13 ♥ 📝 Be 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

14 ♥ 📝 Now^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

15 ♥ 📝 that 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

16 ♥ 📝 We^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.

18 ♥ 📝 The letter^H5407 which ye sent^H7972 unto us^H5922 hath been plainly^H6568 read^H7123 before^H6925 me.

19 ♥ 📝 And 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.

20 ♥ 📝 There 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.

21 ♥ 📝 Make^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

22 ♥ 📝 And 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

23 ♥ 📝 Then 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

24 ♥ 📝 Then^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