Ezra 4:12-24 Be it knowne vnto the king, that the Iewes which came vp from the to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem (a cytie sedicyous and frowarde) and buylde the same, and sett vp the walles therof, and laye the foundacions.

Great⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹² Be it knowne vnto the king, that the Iewes which came vp from the to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem (a cytie sedicyous and frowarde) and buylde the same, and sett vp the walles therof, and laye the foundacions. ¹³ Be it knowne now also vnto the kynge, that yf this cytie be buylded, and the walles therof made vp agayne, then shall not they geue, tolle, tribute, and custome, and the kynges profyte shall incurre dammage. ¹⁴ And now in the meane season we haue destroyed the temple, and wolde no longer se the kynges dishonoure: Therfore sent we out also, and certifyed the kynge: ¹⁵ that it maye be sought in the boke of the Chronycles of thy progenitours, and so shalt thou fynde in the booke of the Chronycles, and perceaue that this cytie is sedicious and noysome vnto kynges and landes, and that they cause other also among them to rebell of olde, & for the same cause was thys cytie destroyed. ¹⁶ Therfore do we certyfye the kynge that yf this cyte be buylded agayne, and the walles therof made vp, thou shalt herafter haue no porcion on this fyde the water. ¹⁷ Then sent the kyng a answere vnto Rehum the recorder, & Simsai the scribe, and to the other of theyr companyons that dwelt in Samaria, & vnto the other that were beyonde the water, in Selan and Cheheth. ¹⁸ The letter which ye sent vnto vs, hath bene openly redd before me, ¹⁹ and I haue commaunded to make search: & it is founde, that this cytie of olde hath made insurreccion agaynst kynges, and that rebellion and sedicion hath bene commytted therin. ²⁰ There haue bene myghtie kinges also at Ierusalem, which haue raygned ouer all countrees beyonde the water: and tolle, trybute, & custome was geuen vnto them: ²¹ Geue ye now therfore commaundement, that the same men be forbydden, and that the cytie be not buylded agayne, tyll I haue geuen another commaundement. ²² Take hede now that ye be not negligent to do this: for why shulde the kynge haue harme there thorowe? ²³ Now when the copye of kynge Artaxerses letter was red before Rehum and Simsai the Scribe and their companyons, they went vp in all the haste to Ierusalem vnto the Iewes, and forbad them with violence and power. ²⁴ Then ceassed the worcke of the house of God at Ierusalem, and continued so vnto the seconde yere of Darius kynge of Persia