Overview
Shimshai served as a scribe or secretary under the Persian governor Rehum during the reign of King Artaxerxes. He actively participated in efforts to halt the Jewish reconstruction of the temple in Jerusalem by drafting an official letter to the Persian king that misrepresented the Jews' intentions and warned of potential rebellion.
Key Scriptures
"Then Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes" (Ezra 4:8, ESV).
"Thus wrote Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates" (Ezra 4:9, ESV).
"The king sent an answer: 'To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates'" (Ezra 4:17, ESV).
Application
Shimshai's example warns believers that opposition to God's work often comes through deceptive communication and false accusations, yet God's purposes cannot ultimately be thwarted by human resistance.