Ezra 4:12-19 »We give news to the king that the Jews who came from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are again building that uncontrolled and evil town. The walls are complete and they are repairing the bases.

NSB⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹² »We give news to the king that the Jews who came from you have come to us at Jerusalem. They are again building that uncontrolled and evil town. The walls are complete and they are repairing the bases. ¹³ »The king may be certain that when the town and its wall are completely rebuilt they will pay no tax or payment in goods or forced payments, and in the end it will be a cause of loss to the kings. ¹⁴ »Because we are responsible to the king, and it is not right for us to see the king's honor damaged, we have sent to give the king word of these things. ¹⁵ »That way a search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records that this town has been uncontrolled. It has been a cause of trouble to kings and countries. There were outbursts against authority in the past. That is the reason the town was laid waste. ¹⁶ »We give you word, that if this town and its walls is completely rebuilt, your power in the country across the river will end.« ¹⁷ The king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, »Peace to you: ¹⁸ »The meaning of the letter you sent to us has been made clear to me, ¹⁹ »I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there.