Ezra 4

¹When the enemiesצָרֵ֥יṣā·rê — Narrow, tight, or distress; an adversary or enemyH6862 — Full Word Study → of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הyə·hū·ḏāh — The Lord is praisedH3063 — Full Word Study → and Benjaminוּבִנְיָמִ֑ןū·ḇin·yā·min — Son of the right handH1144 — Full Word Study → heardוַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּway·yiš·mə·‘ū — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → thatכִּֽי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → the exilesבְנֵ֤יḇə·nê — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → were buildingבּוֹנִ֣יםbō·w·nîm — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study → a templeהֵיכָ֔לhê·ḵāl — Temple, palace, sanctuary structureH1964 — Full Word Study → for the LORDלַיהוָ֖הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, the Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י’ĕ·lō·hê — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study →, ²they approachedוַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּway·yig·gə·šū — to draw near, approach, come closeH5066 — Full Word Study → Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzə·rub·bā·ḇel — Seed of BabylonH2216 — Full Word Study → and the headsרָאשֵׁ֣יrā·šê — Head; chief; beginning; topH7218 — Full Word Study → of the familiesהָֽאָב֗וֹתhā·’ā·ḇō·wṯ — H1 — Full Word Study →, sayingוַיֹּאמְר֤וּway·yō·mə·rū — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, “Let us buildנִבְנֶ֣הniḇ·neh — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study → with youעִמָּכֶ֔ם‘im·mā·ḵem — with, together with, amongH5973 — Full Word Study → becauseכִּ֣יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study →, like you, we seekנִדְר֖וֹשׁniḏ·rō·wōš — to seek, inquire, search diligentlyH1875 — Full Word Study → your Godלֵֽאלֹהֵיכֶ֑םlê·lō·hê·ḵem — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → and have been sacrificingזֹבְחִ֗יםzō·ḇə·ḥîm — to slaughter an animal as a sacrifice or offeringH2076 — Full Word Study → to Him sinceוְלֹאwə·lō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → the timeמִימֵי֙mî·mê — day; time; period; ageH3117 — Full Word Study → of Kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵ — A male ruler or sovereign who governs a nation or kingdomH4428 — Full Word Study → Esar-haddonחַדֹּן֙ḥad·dōn — Assyrian kingH634 — Full Word Study → of Assyriaאַשּׁ֔וּר’aš·šūr — Assyria, ancient empireH804 — Full Word Study →, who broughtהַמַּעֲלֶ֥הham·ma·‘ă·leh — to ascend, rise up, go upH5927 — Full Word Study → usאֹתָ֖נוּ’ō·ṯā·nū — direct object marker; signs accusative caseH853 — Full Word Study → hereפֹּֽה׃pōh — Here, in this place, to this sideH6311 — Full Word Study →.” ³But Zerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶ֜לzə·rub·bā·ḇel — Seed of BabylonH2216 — Full Word Study →, Jeshuaוְיֵשׁ֗וּעַwə·yê·šū·a‘ — Salvation or God savesH3442 — Full Word Study →, and the otherוּשְׁאָ֨רū·šə·’ār — Remnant, remainder, what is leftH7605 — Full Word Study → headsרָאשֵׁ֤יrā·šê — Head; chief; beginning; topH7218 — Full Word Study → of the familiesהָֽאָבוֹת֙hā·’ā·ḇō·wṯ — H1 — Full Word Study → of Israelלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לlə·yiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study → repliedוַיֹּאמֶר֩way·yō·mer — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →, “You have noלֹֽא־lō- — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → part with us in buildingלִבְנ֥וֹתliḇ·nō·wṯ — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study → a houseבַּ֖יִתba·yiṯ — A house; dwelling place; household; familyH1004 — Full Word Study → for our Godלֵאלֹהֵ֑ינוּlê·lō·hê·nū — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, sinceכִּי֩kî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → weאֲנַ֨חְנוּ’ă·naḥ·nū — We, us, ourselves (first person plural pronoun)H587 — Full Word Study → aloneיַ֜חַדya·ḥaḏ — together, united, as oneH3162 — Full Word Study → must buildנִבְנֶ֗הniḇ·neh — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study → it for the LORDלַֽיהוָה֙Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י’ĕ·lō·hê — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êl — God prevailsH3478 — Full Word Study →, asכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רka·’ă·šer — who, which, that; when, where, becauseH834 — Full Word Study → Cyrusכּ֥וֹרֶשׁkō·w·reš — Persian KingH3566 — Full Word Study → kingמֶֽלֶךְ־me·leḵ- — A male ruler or sovereign who governs a nation or kingdomH4428 — Full Word Study → of Persiaפָּרָֽס׃pā·rās — Persia, the empireH6539 — Full Word Study → has commanded usצִוָּ֔נוּṣiw·wā·nū — to command, order, or appoint with authorityH6680 — Full Word Study →.” ⁴Thenוַיְהִי֙way·hî — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → the peopleעַם־‘am- — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → of the landהָאָ֔רֶץhā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study → set out to discourageמְרַפִּ֖יםmə·rap·pîm — to slacken, weaken, or grow feebleH7503 — Full Word Study → the peopleעַם־‘am- — a people; nation; communityH5971 — Full Word Study → of Judahיְהוּדָ֑הyə·hū·ḏāh — The Lord is praisedH3063 — Full Word Study → and make them afraidוּמְבַלַהִיםū·mə·ḇa·la·hīm — to trouble, disturb, or terrifyH1089 — Full Word Study → to buildלִבְנֽוֹת׃liḇ·nō·wṯ — to build, construct, establishH1129 — Full Word Study →. ⁵They hiredוְסֹכְרִ֧יםwə·sō·ḵə·rîm — to hire, engage for wages; to earn or receive compensationH7936 — Full Word Study → counselorsיוֹעֲצִ֖יםyō·w·‘ă·ṣîm — to advise, counsel, or devise a planH3289 — Full Word Study → against themעֲלֵיהֶ֛ם‘ă·lê·hem — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → to frustrateלְהָפֵ֣רlə·hā·p̄êr — To break, violate, or frustrate; to nullify or make voidH6565 — Full Word Study → their plansעֲצָתָ֑ם‘ă·ṣā·ṯām — counsel, advice, or purposeH6098 — Full Word Study → throughoutכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → the reignיְמֵ֗יyə·mê — day; time; period; ageH3117 — Full Word Study → of Cyrusכּ֚וֹרֶשׁkō·w·reš — Persian KingH3566 — Full Word Study → kingמֶ֣לֶךְme·leḵ — A male ruler or sovereign who governs a nation or kingdomH4428 — Full Word Study → of Persiaפָּרַ֔סpā·ras — Persia, the empireH6539 — Full Word Study → and down toוְעַד־wə·‘aḏ- — until, till, up to (temporal or spatial limit)H5704 — Full Word Study → the reignמַלְכ֖וּתmal·ḵūṯ — kingdom, royal rule, sovereigntyH4438 — Full Word Study → of Dariusדָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁdā·rə·yā·weš — Persian kingH1867 — Full Word Study → kingמֶֽלֶךְ־me·leḵ- — A male ruler or sovereign who governs a nation or kingdomH4428 — Full Word Study → of Persiaפָּרָֽס׃pā·rās — Persia, the empireH6539 — Full Word Study →. ⁶At the beginningבִּתְחִלַּ֖תbiṯ·ḥil·laṯ — beginning, first occurrence, initial timeH8462 — Full Word Study → of the reignוּבְמַלְכוּת֙ū·ḇə·mal·ḵūṯ — kingdom, royal rule, sovereigntyH4438 — Full Word Study → of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš — Persian KingH325 — Full Word Study →, an accusationשִׂטְנָ֔הśiṭ·nāh — Accusation, charge brought against someoneH7855 — Full Word Study → was lodgedכָּתְב֣וּkā·ṯə·ḇū — to write, inscribe, or record in written formH3789 — Full Word Study → againstעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → the peopleיֹשְׁבֵ֥יyō·šə·ḇê — to dwell, inhabit, settle, remainH3427 — Full Word Study → of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הyə·hū·ḏāh — The Lord is praisedH3063 — Full Word Study → and Jerusalemוִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃סwî·rū·šā·lim — City of peaceH3389 — Full Word Study →. ⁷And in the daysוּבִימֵ֣יū·ḇî·mê — day; time; period; ageH3117 — Full Word Study → of Artaxerxes king of Persiaפָּרָ֑סpā·rās — Persia, the empireH6539 — Full Word Study →, Bishlamבִּשְׁלָ֜םbiš·lām — Bishlam, a Persian officialH1312 — Full Word Study →, Mithredathמִתְרְדָ֤תmiṯ·rə·ḏāṯ — Mithredath - a Persian officialH4990 — Full Word Study →, Tabeelטָֽבְאֵל֙ṭā·ḇə·’êl — Tabeel, a Syrian or Persian nameH2870 — Full Word Study →, and the rest ofוּשְׁאָ֣רū·šə·’ār — Remnant, remainder, what is leftH7605 — Full Word Study → his associatesכְּנָוֹתוֹkə·nå̄·wō·ṯō — companion, associate, partnerH3674 — Full Word Study → wrote a letter toעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּאʾar·taḥ·šaś·tå̄ — Artaxerxes, Persian king's titleH783 — Full Word Study →. It was writtenכָּת֥וּבkā·ṯūḇ — to write, inscribe, or record in written formH3789 — Full Word Study → in Aramaicאֲרָמִ֖ית’ă·rā·mîṯ — Aramaic languageH762 — Full Word Study → and then translatedוּמְתֻרְגָּ֥םū·mə·ṯur·gām — to translate, interpret, or explainH8638 — Full Word Study →. ⁸Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: ⁹From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa, ¹⁰and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates. ¹¹(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates: ¹²Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations. ¹³Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. ¹⁴Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king ¹⁵that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. ¹⁶We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates. ¹⁷Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings. ¹⁸The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. ¹⁹I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition. ²⁰And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them. ²¹Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. ²²See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer? ²³When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. ²⁴Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.