Ezra 4

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

1Some people nearby did not like Judah and Benjamin. They heard that the people who had come home from far away were building a temple. A temple is a special house for worship. This one was for the LORD, the God of Israel.

2Then 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.

2So they came to Zerubbabel and to the leaders of the families. They said, "Let us build with you. We look for your God, just like you do. We have brought gifts to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here."

3But 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.

3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel said no. They said, "You have no part in building a house for our God. We will build it ourselves for the LORD, the God of Israel. King Cyrus of Persia told us to do it."

4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

4So the people of that land tried to stop them. They made the people of Judah lose heart and feel afraid to build.

Note"Weakened the hands" is an old way of saying they made people feel discouraged and afraid.

5And 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.

5They paid officials to work against them and spoil their plans. They kept doing this all through the time of King Cyrus of Persia. It went on until Darius became king of Persia.

6And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

6Later, Ahasuerus became king. Early in his rule, they wrote him a letter. In it they blamed the people of Judah and Jerusalem for doing wrong.

NoteAhasuerus is another name for Xerxes, a king of Persia.

7And 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.

7Later still, in the days of King Artaxerxes of Persia, more men wrote to him. Their names were Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel, along with their friends. The letter was written in Aramaic and then put into another language.

8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

8Rehum, a leader in charge, and Shimshai, a writer, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes. The letter spoke against Jerusalem. Here is what it said.

9Then 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,

9The letter came from Rehum the leader, Shimshai the writer, and their friends. Judges and officers joined them too. So did people from many places, such as Erech, Babylon, and Susa in Elam.

10And 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.

10Other people signed it as well. Long ago the great and famous King Ashurbanipal had moved them from their homes. He put them in the towns of Samaria and in other places west of the great river.

Note"This side the river" means the land west of the Euphrates, a very big river. Jerusalem and Samaria were in that land. The letters also end with an old phrase that simply means "and so on" or "greetings."

11This 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.

11This is a copy of the letter they sent to King Artaxerxes. It began: "To the king, from your servants who live west of the river. We send you our greetings."

12Be 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.

12"The king should know something. The Jews who left you and came to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that bad city that fought against kings. They are putting up its walls and fixing its base."

13Be 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.

13"The king should also know this. If the city is rebuilt and its walls stand again, they will stop paying their taxes. Then the king will lose money."

Note"Toll, tribute, and custom" are three kinds of taxes paid to the king.

14Now 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;

14"We work for the king's palace and eat at his table. It would be wrong to watch the king be treated badly. So we are telling the king about this."

15That 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.

15"Please have someone look in the old record books your fathers kept. There you will see that this city has fought against kings for a long time. It has stirred up trouble again and again. That is why it was torn down."

16We 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.

16"We tell the king plainly. If this city is rebuilt and its walls stand again, you will lose this whole land west of the river."

17Then 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.

17The king sent back an answer. He wrote to Rehum the leader, Shimshai the writer, and their friends in Samaria and the land west of the river. He said, "Greetings."

18The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

18"The letter you sent me was read out loud to me. I understood all of it."

19And 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.

19"I gave an order, and men searched the old records. They found that this city has fought against kings for a very long time. It has stirred up trouble again and again."

20There 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.

20"Strong kings have ruled in Jerusalem before. They ruled the whole land west of the river. All the taxes were paid to them."

21Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.

21"So give an order to make these men stop. This city must not be rebuilt until I say so."

22Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

22"Be careful to do this. Do not let this trouble grow and cost the king more."

23Now 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.

23The king's letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the writer, and their friends. They hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem. They made them stop building by force.

24Then 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.

24So the work on God's house in Jerusalem stopped. It stayed stopped until the second year that Darius was king of Persia.