Ezra
Ezra 4
King James Version · tap any highlighted word for context
Ezra 4 — Scripture text (King James Version)
Now when the adversaries of and heard that the children of the captivity builded the unto the LORD God of ; Then they came to , 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 -haddon king of , which brought us up hither. But , and , and the rest of the chief of the fathers of , 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 , as king the king of hath commanded us. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of , and troubled them in building, And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of king of , even until the reign of king of . And in the reign of , in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of and . And in the days of wrote , Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto king of ; and the writing of the letter was written in the tongue, and interpreted in the tongue. Rehum the chancellor and the scribe wrote a letter against to the king in this sort: Then wrote the chancellor, and the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the , the , the , the , the , the , the , the , and the , And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble brought over, and set in the cities of , and the rest that are this side the river, and at such a time. This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto the king; Thy servants the men this side the river, and at such a time. Be it known unto the king, that the which came up from thee to us are come unto , building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. 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. 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; 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. 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 this side the river. Then sent the king an answer unto the chancellor, and to the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in , and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 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. There have been mighty kings also over , which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. 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. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? Now when the copy of king ’ letter was read before , and the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to unto the , and made them to cease by force and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at . So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of king of .