Ezra 4

1 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:

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,

2 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.

they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”

3 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.

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

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

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.

5 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.

They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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

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

7 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.

In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.

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

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.

9 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,

Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

10 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.

and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.

11 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.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.

12 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.

Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.

13 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.

Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

14 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:

Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

15 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.

that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.

16 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.

We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.

17 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.

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.

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

The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

19 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.

I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.

20 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.

There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.

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

Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.

22 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.

Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 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.

Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.

24 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.

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.