Ezra 4

1 Bvt the aduersaries of Iudah and Beniamin heard, that the children of the captiuitie builded the Temple vnto the Lord God of Israel.

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the exile were building the temple unto the Lord the God of Israel:

2 And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefe fathers, and sayd vnto them, We wil builde with you: for we seeke the Lord your God as ye do, and we haue sacrificed vnto him since the time of Esar Haddon king of Asshur, which brought vs vp hither.

Then came they near to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefs of the divisions, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for like you will we seek your God; and unto him do we sacrifice since the days of Essar-chaddon the king of Asshur, who hath brought us up hither.

3 Then Zerubbabel, and Ieshua, and the rest of the chiefe fathers of Israel, sayde vnto them, It is not for you, but for vs to buyld the house vnto our God: for we our selues together wil buylde it vnto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded vs.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua', and the rest of the of the divisions of Israel, said unto them, It is not obligatory on you and on us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together must build unto the Lord the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

4 Wherefore the people of the land discouraged the people of Iudah, and troubled them in buylding,

Then did the people of the land weaken the hands of the people of Judah, and frightened them off from building;

5 And they hired counsellers against them, to hinder their deuise, all the dayes of Cyrus King of Persia, euen vntill the reigne of Darius King of Persia.

And they hired against them counsellors, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus the king of Persia, and even until the reign of Darius the king of Persia.

6 And in the reigne of Ahashuerosh (in the beginning of his reigne) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem.

And in the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 And in the daies of Artahshashte, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote when it was peace, vnto Artahshashte king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was the Aramites writing, and the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia: and the writing of the letter was written in Aramic, and interpreted in Aramic.

8 Rehum the chancelour, and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Ierusalem to Artahshashte the King, in this sort.

Rechum the counsellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a certain letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as followeth:

9 Then wrote Rehum the chauncelour, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions Dinaie, and Apharsathcaie, Tarpelaie, Apharsaie, Archeuaie, Bablaie, Shushanchaie, Dehaue, Elmaie,

Then [wrote] Rechum the counsellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, from Din, and Apharsathach, Tarpel, Apharass, Erech, Babylon, Shushan, Dehav, and 'Elam,

10 And the rest of the people whom the great and noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are beyonde the Riuer and Cheeneth.

And the rest of the nations whom the great and honored Assnapper had brought into exile, and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and so forth.

11 This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto King Artahshashte, THY SERVANTS the men beyond the Riuer and Cheeneth, salute thee.

This is the copy of the letter which they sent unto him, even unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

12 Be it knowen vnto the King that ye Iewes, which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem (a citie rebellious and wicked) and buylde, and lay the foundations of the walles, and haue ioyned the foundations.

Be it made known unto the king, that the Jews who removed away from thee are come up to us unto Jerusalem: they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and are completing the walls, and are joining together the foundations.

13 Be it knowen nowe vnto the King, that if this citie be built, and the foundations of the walles layed, they will not giue tolle, tribute, nor custome: so shalt thou hinder the Kings tribute.

Be it now known unto the king, that, if this city be rebuilt, and the walls be completed, they will not give tax, tribute, and toll, and the royal revenues will suffer damage.

14 Nowe therefore because wee haue bene brought vp in the Kings palace, it was not meete for vs to see the Kings dishonour: for this cause haue we sent and certified the King,

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not proper for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and let the king know this:

15 That one may searche in the booke of the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou shalt finde in the booke of the Chronicles, and perceiue that this citie is rebellious and noysome vnto Kings and prouinces, and that they haue moued sedition of olde time, for the which cause this citie was destroyed.

That search may be made in the book of the memorable events of thy fathers, and thou wilt find in the book of the memorable events, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have practised sedition within the same from the most ancient time; for which cause this city was destroyed.

16 Wee certifie the King therefore, that if this citie be buylded, and the foundation of the walles layd, by this meanes the portion beyonde the Riuer shall not be thine.

We let the king know that, if this city be rebuilt, and its walls be completed, by this means thou wilt have no more any portion on this side of the river.

17 The King sent an answere vnto Rehum the Chauncelour, and Shimshai the Scribe, and so the rest of their companions that dwelt in Samaria, and vnto the other beyond the Riuer, Shelam and Cheeth.

Then sent the king a reply unto Rechum the counsellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest of those beyond the river, Peace, and so forth.

18 The letter which yee sent vnto vs, hath bene openly read before me,

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

19 And I haue commanded and they haue searched, and founde, that this citie of olde time hath made insurrection against kings, and hath rebelled, and rebellion hath bene committed therein.

And an order was given by me, and search was made, and it was found that this city from the most ancient time hath lifted itself up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been practised therein.

20 There haue bene mightie kings also ouer Ierusalem, which haue ruled ouer all beyonde the Riuer, and tolle, tribute, and custome was giuen vnto them.

And that mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the countries beyond the river; and that tax, tribute, and toll was given unto them.

21 Make ye now a decree, that those men may cease, and that the citie be not buylt, till I haue giuen another commandement.

Now give ye the order to stop these men, and this city shall not be built, until the order be given from me.

22 Take heede nowe that ye fayle not to doe this: why should domage grow to hurt the King?

Take heed now that ye commit no error in this: that not any injury may grow [out of this] to the damage of the kings.

23 When the copie of king Artahshashtes letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went vp in all the haste to Ierusalem vnto the Iewes, and caused them to cease by force and power.

Thereupon so soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they did go up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and stopped them by force and power.

24 Then ceased the worke of the house of God, which was in Ierusalem, and did stay vnto the second yeere of Darius King of Persia.

Then was stopped the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem, and it remained interrupted until the second year of the reign of Darius the king of Persia.