Verse
KJV
King James Version
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
Now
when the adversaries
of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children
of
the
captivity
builded
the
temple unto
the LORD God of Israel ;
When the enemies
of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles
were
building
a
temple for
the LORD ,
the
God of Israel ,
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
.
they approached
Zerubbabel and the heads
of the families
, saying
, “
Let us build with you because,
like
you,
we seek your God and have
been
sacrificing
to
Him since the time
of King Esar-haddon
of Assyria
, who
brought us here
. ”
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.
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other
heads
of the families
of Israel replied
, “You
have no
part
with us in
building
a
house for
our God ,
since
we alone
must
build it
for
the LORD ,
the
God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has
commanded us. ”
Then the people of the land weakened
the
hands
of
the people of Judah ,
and troubled
them in
building,
Then the people of the land set
out
to
discourage
the people of Judah and make
them afraid
to
build.
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.
They
hired counselors
against them to frustrate their plans
throughout
the reign
of Cyrus king of Persia and
down
to
the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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.
At
the beginning of the
reign of
Xerxes
, an accusation was
lodged
against the people
of Judah and Jerusalem.
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
.
And in the days of Artaxerxes king
of
Persia,
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his
associates
wrote
a
letter to
Artaxerxes.
It
was written in Aramaic
and then
translated
.
Rehum the chancellor
and Shimshai the scribe wrote a
letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes
the
king in
this
sort
:
Rehum the commander
and Shimshai the scribe wrote the
letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes
as
follows
:
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,
From
Rehum the commander
, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—
the judges
and
officials
over
Tripolis
, Persia
, Erech
and Babylon,
the Elamites of
Susa
,
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
.
and the rest of the peoples
whom the great and honorable
Ashurbanipal
deported
and settled
in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere
west
of
the Euphrates
.
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.
(
This is the text
of the letter they sent to
him .)
To
King Artaxerxes,
From
your
servants ,
the men west
of
the Euphrates:
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.
Let
it be
known to
the king that the Jews who
came from you
to us have
returned
to
Jerusalem .
And
they
are
rebuilding
that
rebellious and wicked
city, restoring
its
walls, and repairing
its
foundations.
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
.
Let
it now be
known
to
the king that if that
city is
rebuilt
and its
walls are
restored
, they will
not pay tribute, duty
, or
toll,
and the royal
treasury
will
suffer
.
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 ;
Now because we are
in
the service
of
the
palace and it is
not fitting
for us to allow
the king
to
be
dishonored
, we have
sent to
inform
the king
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.
that a
search should
be made of the record
books
of your
fathers .
In these
books
you
will
discover
and verify
that the
city is a rebellious city, harmful
to
kings and provinces, inciting
sedition from
ancient
times.
That
is
why
this city was
destroyed.
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
.
We advise
the king that if this city is
rebuilt
and its
walls are
restored
, you
will
have no dominion
west
of
the Euphrates
.
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
.
Then the king sent
this
reply:
To
Rehum the commander
, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your
associates
living
in Samaria and elsewhere
in
the region
west
of
the Euphrates:
Greetings
.
The letter which
ye
sent unto
us hath
been plainly
read before
me
.
The letter you
sent us has
been translated
and
read in
my
presence
.
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
.
I issued
a
decree
, and a
search was
conducted.
It was
discovered
that this city has
revolted
against kings from
ancient
times
, engaging
in
rebellion and sedition.
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.
And
mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem
and
exercised
authority
over
the whole
region
west
of
the
Euphrates
; and tribute, duty
, and
toll
were
paid to
them.
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
.
Now ,
therefore,
issue
an
order
for
these men to stop
, so
that this city will
not be rebuilt
until
I
so
order
.
Take
heed
now
that ye
fail
not
to
do this :
why should
damage
grow
to the
hurt
of
the kings
?
See
that you
do not
neglect
this matter.
Why allow
this
threat
to increase
and
the royal
interests
to
suffer
?
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
.
When the text
of the
letter
from
King Artaxerxes was read to
Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates
, they went immediately
to the Jews in
Jerusalem
and forcibly
stopped
them.
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.
Thus
the construction
of the house of God in
Jerusalem ceased ,
and
it
remained
at
a
standstill
until
the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Scripture text: King James Version and Berean Standard Bible. UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions.; Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC..