Ezra 4:1-24 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel;

ASV_Strongs⁽ⁱ⁾

1 H6862 Now when the adversaries H3063 of Judah H1144 and Benjamin H8085 heard H1121 that the children H1473 of the captivity H1129 were building H1964 a temple H3068 unto Jehovah, H430 the God H3478 of Israel;

2 H5066 then they drew H2216 near to Zerubbabel, H7218 and to the heads H1 of fathers' H559 houses, and said H1129 unto them, Let us build H1875 with you; for we seek H430 your God, H2076 as ye do; and we sacrifice H3117 unto him since the days H634 of Esar-haddon H4428 king H804 of Assyria, H5927 who brought us up hither.

3 H2216 But Zerubbabel, H3442 and Jeshua, H7605 and the rest H7218 of the heads H1 of fathers' H3478 houses of Israel, H559 said H1129 unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us in building H1004 a house H430 unto our God; H3162 but we ourselves together H1129 will build H3068 unto Jehovah, H430 the God H3478 of Israel, H4428 as king H3566 Cyrus H4428 the king H6539 of Persia H6680 hath commanded us.

4 H5971 Then the people H776 of the land H7503 weakened H3027 the hands H5971 of the people H3063 of Judah, H926 and troubled H1129 them in building,

5 H7936 and hired H3289 counsellors H6565 against them, to frustrate H6098 their purpose, H3117 all the days H3566 of Cyrus H4428 king H6539 of Persia, H4438 even until the reign H1867 of Darius H4428 king H6539 of Persia.

6 H4438 And in the reign H325 of Ahasuerus, H8462 in the beginning H4438 of his reign, H3789 wrote H7855 they an accusation H3427 against the inhabitants H3063 of Judah H3389 and Jerusalem.

7 H3117 And in the days H783 of Artaxerxes H3789 wrote H1312 Bishlam, H4990 Mithredath, H2870 Tabeel, H7605 and the rest H3674 of his companions, H783 unto Artaxerxes H4428 king H6539 of Persia; H3791 and the writing H5406 of the letter H3789 was written H762 in the Syrian character, H8638 and set forth H762 in the Syrian tongue.

8 H7348 Rehum H1169 the chancellor H8124 and Shimshai H5613 the scribe H3790 wrote H2298 a H104 letter H5922 against H3390 Jerusalem H783 to Artaxerxes H4430 the king H3660 in this sort:

9 H116 then H7348 wrote Rehum H1169 the chancellor, H8124 and Shimshai H5613 the scribe, H7606 and the rest H3675 of their companions, H1784 the Dinaites, H671 and the Apharsathchites, H2967 the Tarpelites, H670 the Apharsites, H756 the Archevites, H896 the Babylonians, H7801 the Shushanchites, H1723 the Dehaites, H5962 the Elamites,

10 H7606 and the rest H524 of the nations H1768 whom H7229 the great H3358 and noble H620 Osnappar H1541 brought over, H3488 and set H7149 in the city H8115 of Samaria, H7606 and in the rest H5675 of the country beyond H5103 the River, H3706 and so forth.

11 H1836 This H6573 is the copy H104 of the letter H1768 that H7972 they sent H5922 unto H783 Artaxerxes H4430 the king: H5649 Thy servants H606 the men H5675 beyond H5103 the River, H3706 and so forth.

12 H1934 Be it H3046 known H4430 unto the king, H3062 that the Jews H1768 that H5559 came up H4481 from H3890 thee H858 are come H5922 to us H3390 unto Jerusalem; H1124 they are building H4779 the rebellious H873 and the bad H7149 city, H3635 and have finished H7792 the walls, H2338 and repaired H787 the foundations.

13 H3046 Be it known H3705 now H4430 unto the king, H2006 that, if H1791 this H7149 city H1124 be builded, H7792 and the walls H3635 finished, H3809 they will not H5415 pay H1093 tribute, H1983 custom, H4061 or toll, H5142 and in the end it will be hurtful H674 unto H4430 the kings.

14 H3705 Now H6903 because H1768 we eat H4415 the salt H1965 of the palace, H3809 and it is not H749 meet H2370 for us to see H4430 the king's H6173 dishonor, H5922 therefore H7972 have we sent H3046 and certified H4430 the king;

15 H1240 that search H5609 may be made in the book H1799 of the records H2 of thy fathers: H7912 so shalt thou find H5609 in the book H1799 of the records, H3046 and know H1791 that this H7149 city H4779 is a rebellious H7149 city, H5142 and hurtful H4430 unto kings H4083 and provinces, H5648 and that they have moved H849 sedition H1459 within the same H4481 of H5957 old H3118 time; H5922 for H1836 which H1791 cause was this H7149 city H2718 laid waste.

16 H586 We H3046 certify H4430 the king H2006 that, if H1791 this H7149 city H1124 be builded, H7792 and the walls H3635 finished, H1836 by this H6903 means H383 thou shalt have H3809 no H2508 portion H5675 beyond H5103 the River.

17 H7972 Then sent H4430 the king H6600 an answer H5922 unto H7348 Rehum H1169 the chancellor, H5922 and to H8124 Shimshai H5613 the scribe, H7606 and to the rest H3675 of their companions H3488 that dwell H8115 in Samaria, H7606 and in the rest H5675 of the country beyond H5103 the River: H8001 Peace, and so forth.

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

19 H4481 And I H7761 decreed, H1240 and search H7912 hath been made, and it is found H1791 that this H7149 city H4481 of H5957 old H3118 time H5376 hath made insurrection H5922 against H4430 kings, H4776 and that rebellion H849 and sedition H5648 have been made therein.

20 H1934 There have been H8624 mighty H4430 kings H5922 also over H3390 Jerusalem, H7990 who have ruled H3606 over all H5675 the country beyond H5103 the River; H1093 and tribute, H1983 custom, H4061 and toll, H3052 was paid unto them.

21 H7761 Make H3705 ye now H2942 a decree H989 to cause H479 these H1400 men H989 to cease, H1791 and that this H7149 city H3809 be not H1124 builded, H5705 until H2941 a decree H7761 shall be made H4481 by me.

22 H1934 And take heed H5922 that ye be H7960 not slack H1836 herein: H4101 why H2257 should damage H7680 grow H5142 to the hurt H4430 of the kings?

23 H4481 Then when H6573 the copy H4430 of king H783 Artaxerxes' H5407 letter H7123 was read H6925 before H7348 Rehum, H8124 and Shimshai H5613 the scribe, H3675 and their companions, H924 they went in haste H5922 to H3390 Jerusalem H5922 unto H3062 the Jews, H1994 and made them H5922 to H989 cease H153 by force H2429 and power.

24 H116 Then H989 ceased H5673 the work H1005 of the house H426 of God H3390 which is at Jerusalem; H1934 and it ceased H5705 until H8648 the second H8140 year H4437 of the reign H1868 of Darius H4430 king H6540 of Persia.