Artaxerxes

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.

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.

NoteAramaic was the language most people used for letters back then. Someone had to turn the letter into the king's own language.

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.

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

NoteA scribe was a man trained to write. Most people could not write at all. Scribes wrote letters for others and kept lists of what happened.

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.

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,

NoteErech, Babylon, and Susa were cities far away. The people from those cities had been moved here by a king.

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

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.

NoteAshurbanipal was a king of Assyria long before this. Samaria was the land just north of Jerusalem. "The great river" is the Euphrates, a huge river far to the east.

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."

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.

NoteCalling yourself the king's servant was a polite way to start a letter. It showed you were being respectful.

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."

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.

NoteThe Jews were the people whose families came from Judah. Cities had thick stone walls to keep enemies out. A city with walls was hard for an army to take.

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."

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.

NoteTaxes were money and food that people had to send the king each year. Kings needed that money to pay their soldiers.

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."

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;

Note"Eat at his table" means the king paid them and fed them. They said it to remind him they were on his side.

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."

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.

NoteKings kept big books listing everything that happened in their kingdom. Someone could look back in them, the way we look things up today.

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."

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.

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."

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.

Note"Greetings" was the normal way to begin a letter then. It is like saying hello at the top of a note.

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

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

NoteThe king did not read it himself. A servant read letters out loud to him. The letter also had to be changed into a language the king knew.

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."

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.

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

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.

NoteLong before this, kings like David and Solomon ruled from Jerusalem. Their kingdom was large and other lands paid them money.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Note"By force" means they brought soldiers with weapons. The builders had to put down their tools and stop.

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

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.

NoteThe building stopped for a very long time, about sixteen years. Darius became king of Persia later, after other kings.

1Many years later, Artaxerxes was king of Persia. A man named Ezra lived then. Ezra was the son of Seraiah. Seraiah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Hilkiah.

Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

NotePersia was a large country far from Israel. Its king ruled many lands and many people. The Bible lists Ezra's father, grandfather, and their fathers before them. Long name lists like this showed which family a person came from.

2Hilkiah was the son of Shallum. Shallum was the son of Zadok. Zadok was the son of Ahitub.

The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,

3Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth.

The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4Meraioth was the son of Zerahiah. Zerahiah was the son of Uzzi. Uzzi was the son of Bukki.

The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5Bukki was the son of Abishua. Abishua was the son of Phinehas. Phinehas was the son of Eleazar. Eleazar was the son of Aaron, the chief priest.

The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

NoteAaron was the very first priest of Israel, long before Ezra. A priest worked at God's house and helped people worship God. This long list shows that Ezra came from Aaron's family.

6This Ezra came up from the city of Babylon. He was a scribe, someone who studied and copied God's Law. He knew the Law of Moses very well, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king gave Ezra everything he asked for. God was helping Ezra.

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

NoteBabylon was a big city far from Israel. Its army had taken the Jewish people there years before. Some of them still lived there when Ezra was born. The Law of Moses was the set of rules God gave Israel. God gave those rules to Moses long, long before this.

7It was the seventh year that Artaxerxes was king. Some of the people of Israel went up to Jerusalem too. Priests and Levites went, who worked at God's house. Singers, gatekeepers, and temple workers went as well.

And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

NoteLevites came from one family of Israel that worked at God's house. They helped the priests with the singing, the doors, and the daily work. Gatekeepers watched the doors so only the right people came in. Jerusalem sits high on hills, so people always said they went up to it.

8Ezra reached Jerusalem in the fifth month of that year.

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

NoteTheir year did not start in January like ours. It started in the spring. The fifth month was near our July and August.

9He left Babylon on the first day of the first month. He reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month. God's kind hand was on him the whole way.

For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

NoteThe trip took four whole months. It was about nine hundred miles, and most people walked.

10Ezra had made up his mind to study the Law of the LORD. He wanted to obey it. He also wanted to teach its rules to the people of Israel.

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

11Here is what King Artaxerxes wrote in a letter to Ezra. Ezra was a priest and a scribe. He knew all the commands and rules the LORD gave Israel.

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

12"From Artaxerxes, the greatest king, to Ezra the priest. You are a teacher of the Law of the God of heaven. Greetings.

Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

Note"King of kings" means he ruled over other kings too. Many smaller kings had to obey him. Persians called Israel's God "the God of heaven" when they wrote about him.

13I now make this rule. Any of my people from Israel may go with you to Jerusalem. Priests and Levites may go too. They may go if they want to.

I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

14The king and his seven helpers are sending you. You are to go and see how things are in Judah and Jerusalem. You will look at them by the Law of your God, which you carry.

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

NoteThe king had seven special helpers who gave him advice. Ezra carried God's Law with him on the trip. Books then were long rolls of paper called scrolls.

15You are also to carry silver and gold with you. The king and his helpers gladly gave it to the God of Israel. That God's house is in Jerusalem.

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem,

16Take all the silver and gold you can find in the land of Babylon too. Take the gifts the people and priests give on their own. These are for the house of their God in Jerusalem.

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:

17Use that money quickly to buy bulls, rams, and lambs. Buy grain and wine to go with them. Offer them all on the altar at your God's house in Jerusalem.

That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.

NoteAn altar was a big stone table outside God's house. People burned animal gifts to God on it. Grain and wine were given along with the animals.

18Some silver and gold will be left over. You and your fellow workers may use it as you think best. Just do what your God wants.

And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

19You have been given special bowls and cups for your God's house. Bring them all to God in Jerusalem.

The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

NoteThese were the gold and silver bowls and cups from God's house. Babylon's army had carried them away long before. Now they were going home.

20Your God's house may need other things too. If you must pay for them, take the money from the king's treasure room.

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house.

21I, King Artaxerxes, also make this rule. It is for all my money keepers west of the Euphrates River. Ezra the priest teaches the Law of the God of heaven. Give him quickly whatever he asks for.

And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,

NoteThe Euphrates was a very wide river far from Jerusalem. The king's lands stretched out on both sides of it.

22Give him up to a hundred talents of silver. Give up to a hundred large baskets of wheat. Give up to a hundred barrels of wine and a hundred of olive oil. Give him as much salt as he needs.

Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

NoteA talent of silver weighed about as much as a small child. A hundred of them was a huge pile of money. A bath was a big jar that held about six gallons. Salt was needed for the gifts given at God's house.

23The God of heaven has given commands. Do all of them carefully for his house. We do not want God to be angry with the king or his sons.

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?

24Here is one more thing you should know. You may not make the workers at God's house pay taxes. That means the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and other temple workers.

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

NoteTaxes are money that people must pay to the king. The king said the workers at God's house did not have to pay.

25Ezra, your God has given you wisdom. Use it to pick leaders and judges. They will judge all the people west of the Euphrates River. These are people who know your God's laws. You must teach the laws to those who do not know them.

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.

NoteA judge is someone who decides when a person has broken a law.

26Some people will not obey your God's law or the king's law. They must be punished right away. The punishment may be death, or being sent away. It may be losing what they own, or going to prison."

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.

NoteBeing sent away meant leaving home and not coming back.

1It was the month of Nisan, in the king's twentieth year. Wine was set out for King Artaxerxes. I picked up the wine and handed it to him. I had never looked sad in front of him before.

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

NoteNisan is a spring month, near March and April. Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, a huge and powerful country. Nehemiah's job was to hand the king his wine. He tasted it first to be sure it was safe.

2The king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad? You are not sick. Something must be hurting your heart." I was very afraid.

Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

NoteServants were supposed to look happy in front of the king. Looking sad could get a servant in trouble. That is why Nehemiah was so afraid.

3I said to the king, "May the king live forever! How can I not be sad? The city where my family is buried lies in ruins. Its gates were burned up by fire."

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

Note"Let the king live for ever" was a polite way to greet a king. Jerusalem was the city Nehemiah's family came from. An army had knocked down its walls long before this.

4The king said, "What are you asking me for?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Note"The God of heaven" was a name people used for God back then. Nehemiah prayed quietly in his heart while the king waited.

5Then I said, "If it pleases the king, and if you are happy with me, please send me to Judah. Send me to the city where my family is buried, so I can build it again."

And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.

NoteJudah was the land around Jerusalem. It was very far from the king's palace. The trip took about three months.

6The queen was sitting beside him. The king asked, "How long will your trip take? When will you come back?" The king was willing to send me. So I told him a time.

And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

7I also said, "If it pleases the king, please give me letters. They would be for the governors west of the great river. Then they will let me travel safely to Judah."

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

NoteGovernors were men the king chose to rule parts of his land. The great river is the Euphrates, a wide river in that country. The letters worked like a pass, showing the king had said yes.

8"Please also send a letter to Asaph, who takes care of the king's forest. Ask him to give me wood. I need beams for the gates of the strong tower that belongs to God's house. I also need wood for the city wall and for the house where I will live." The king said yes to all of it, because my God was kind to me.

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

NoteBeams are long, strong pieces of wood that hold up a building. God's house means the temple, the special building for worshiping God. The strong tower was a small fort built beside it to guard it. The strong tower belonged to the temple.

9So I went to the governors west of the great river. I gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and soldiers on horses with me.

Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

NoteSoldiers came along to keep Nehemiah safe on the long road. They also showed everyone that the king had truly sent him.

14Also, the king made me governor, the leader, of the land of Judah. That was from King Artaxerxes' twentieth year to his thirty-second year. That is twelve years. In all that time, my brothers and I never took the food a governor is allowed.

Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

NoteA governor is a leader put in charge of a whole area by the king. Artaxerxes was the king of Persia, and Judah was part of his lands. A governor was allowed to collect food and money from the people as his pay. Nehemiah never took it.

15The governors before me had been hard on the people. They took bread and wine from them, and forty pieces of silver too. Even their helpers bossed the people around. But I did not do that. I had respect for God.

But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

NoteThe King James says "forty shekels of silver." There were no coins yet. People weighed out pieces of silver to pay for things. Forty shekels was a lot of money.

16Instead, I kept working on the wall. We did not buy any land. All my helpers came and worked there too.

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

NoteNehemiah was rebuilding the broken wall around Jerusalem. A city wall kept enemies out and kept people safe. He also could have bought the poor people's land cheaply, but he would not.

17A hundred and fifty Jews and leaders ate at my table. Visitors from the lands around us ate there too.

Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

NoteA leader in those days fed his workers and guests at his own table. All these meals came out of Nehemiah's own pocket.

18Each day one ox and six fine sheep were cooked for me. Birds were cooked for me too. Every ten days plenty of wine of all kinds was brought in. Even so, I never took the food a governor is allowed. The load on these people was already too heavy.

Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

NoteAn ox is a big, strong farm animal, like a large cow. One ox and six sheep every single day is a huge amount of food.

19My God, remember me. Be kind to me for all I have done for these people.

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

NoteHere Nehemiah stops and talks straight to God. Asking God to remember you means asking him to notice and care.

4Before this, a priest named Eliashib was put in charge of the storerooms at God's house. He was a relative of Tobiah.

And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

NoteA priest was a man who led the worship at God's house. Storerooms were rooms for keeping food and supplies safe. Tobiah was a man who had tried to stop Nehemiah's work.

5He had made a big room ready for Tobiah to use. That room used to hold grain gifts, sweet-smelling incense, and bowls from God's house. It also held a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil that people gave. Those gifts were meant for the Levites, who helped at God's house, and for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the priests.

And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.

NoteIncense is a sticky sap from trees. It smells sweet when it is burned. People brought a tenth of their food to God's house. That gift fed the workers there. Levites were men from one family group who helped the priests. Gatekeepers guarded the doors.

6While all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem. I had gone back to King Artaxerxes of Babylon in his thirty-second year as king. Some time later I asked the king to let me leave.

But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:

NoteNehemiah worked for the king far away from home. Artaxerxes ruled a huge kingdom that included the city of Babylon. Years were counted from the day a king began to rule.

7So I came back to Jerusalem. Then I learned the wrong thing Eliashib had done for Tobiah. He had given him a room in the yards of God's house.

And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

NoteThe yards were the open spaces around God's house. Only holy things belonged inside them.

8This upset me very much. So I threw all of Tobiah's things out of that room.

And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.

9Then I gave orders to clean the rooms. I brought back the bowls of God's house, the grain gifts, and the incense.

Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.

NoteCleaning here meant more than washing off dirt. It made the rooms ready for God's use again.