Ezra 4

1 Now some enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who had been exiled were now building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel.

and to hear: hear enemy Judah and Benjamin for son: type of [the] captivity to build temple to/for LORD God Israel

2 So they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of their ancestors' clans. They said to them, “Let us build with you, for, like you, we seek your God and have sacrificed to him since the days when Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, brought us to this place.”

and to approach: approach to(wards) Zerubbabel and to(wards) head: leader [the] father and to say to/for them to build with you for like/as you to seek to/for God your (and to/for him *Q(K)*) we to sacrifice from day Esarhaddon Esarhaddon king Assyria [the] to ascend: establish [obj] us here

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the heads of their ancestors' clans said, “It is not you, but we who must build the house of our God, for it is we who will build for Yahweh, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus of Persia commanded.”

and to say to/for them Zerubbabel and Jeshua and remnant head: leader [the] father to/for Israel not to/for you and to/for us to/for to build house: temple to/for God our for we unitedness to build to/for LORD God Israel like/as as which to command us [the] king Cyrus king Persia

4 So the people of the land made the Judeans' hands weak; they made the Judeans afraid to build.

and to be people [the] land: country/planet to slacken hand people Judah (and to dismay *Q(K)*) [obj] them to/for to build

5 They also bribed counselors to frustrate their plans. They did this during all of Cyrus' days and into the reign of Darius king of Persia.

and to hire upon them to advise to/for to break counsel their all day Cyrus king Persia and till royalty Darius king Persia

6 Then at the beginning of Ahasuerus' reign they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

and in/on/with royalty Ahasuerus in/on/with beginning royalty his to write accusation upon to dwell Judah and Jerusalem

7 It was during the days of Artaxerxes that Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their companions wrote to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.

and in/on/with day Artaxerxes to write Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel and remnant (associate his *Q(K)*) upon (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king Persia and writing [the] letter to write Aramaic and to translate Aramaic

8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote this way to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem.

Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] to write letter one since Jerusalem to/for Artaxerxes king [the] thus

9 Then Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, who were judges and other officers in the government, the Persians, men from Erech and Babylon, and the men from Susa (that is, the Elamites)—they wrote a letter—

then Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] and remainder associate their judge [the] and govenors [the] officials [the] Persia [the] (Erech [the] *Q(K)*) Babylonian [the] Susa [the] (Dehavite [the] *Q(K)*) Elamite [the]

10 and they were joined by the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal forced to settle in Samaria, along with the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River.

and remainder people [the] that to reveal Osnappar great [the] and honorable [the] and to dwell they in/on/with town that Samaria and remainder beyond River [the] and now

11 This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes: “Your servants, men of the Province Beyond the River, write this:

this copy letter [the] that to send since him since Artaxerxes king [the] (servant/slave your *Q(K)*) man beyond River [the] and now

12 Let the king know that the Jews who went from you have come against us in Jerusalem to build a rebellious city. They have completed the walls and repaired the foundations.

to know to be to/for king [the] that Jew [the] that to ascend from with you since us to come to/for Jerusalem town [the] rebellious [the] (and bad [the] *Q(k)*) to build (and wall [the] to complete *Q(K)*) and foundation [the] to repair

13 Now let the king know that if this city is built and the wall is completed, they will not give any tribute and taxes, but they will harm the kings.

now to know to be to/for king [the] that if town [the] this to build and wall [the] to complete tribute tribute and toll not to give: pay and revenue king to suffer injury

14 Surely because we have eaten the palace salt, it is not fitting for us to see any dishonor happen to the king. It is because of this that we are informing the king

now like/as to/for before: because that salt temple: palace [the] to eat salt and dishonor king [the] not (be proper *LB(ah)*) to/for us to/for to see since this to send and to know to/for king [the]

15 to search your father's record and to verify that this is a rebellious city that will harm kings and provinces. It has caused many problems to the kings and provinces. It has been a center for rebellion from long ago. It was for this reason that the city was destroyed.

that to enquire in/on/with scroll record [the] that father your and to find in/on/with scroll record [the] and to know that town [the] this town rebellious and to suffer injury king and province and sedition to make in/on/with midst her from day perpetuity [the] since this town [the] this be wasted

16 We are informing the king that if this city and wall are built, then there will be nothing remaining for you in the Province Beyond the River.”

to know we to/for king [the] that if town [the] this to build and wall [the] to complete to/for before this portion in/on/with beyond River [the] not there is to/for you

17 So the king sent out a reply to Rehum and Shimshai and their companions in Samaria and the rest who were in the Province Beyond the River: “May peace be yours.

edict [the] to send king [the] since Rehum commander command and Shimshai scribe [the] and remainder associate their that to dwell in/on/with Samaria and remainder beyond River [the] peace and now

18 The letter that you sent me has been translated and read to me.

document [the] that to send since us to make clear to read before me

19 So I ordered an investigation and discovered that in previous days they had rebelled and revolted against kings.

and from me to set: make command and to enquire and to find that town [the] this from day perpetuity [the] since king to lift and rebellion and sedition to make in/on/with her

20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and had power over everything in the Province Beyond the River. Tribute and taxes were paid to them.

and king strong to be since Jerusalem and ruling in/on/with all beyond River [the] and tribute tribute and toll to give to/for them

21 Now, make a decree for these men to stop and not build this city until I make a decree.

now to set: make command to/for to cease man [the] these and town [the] this not to build till from me command [the] to set: make

22 Be careful not to neglect this. Why allow this threat to grow and cause more loss for the royal interests?

and to take heed to be neglect to/for to make since this to/for what? to grow great harm [the] to/for to suffer injury king

23 When King Artaxerxes' decree was read before Rehum, Shimshai, and their companions, they went out quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building.

then from that copy document [the] that (Artaxerxes *Q(k)*) king [the] to read before Rehum and Shimshai scribe [the] and associate their to go in/on/with hastely to/for Jerusalem since Jew [the] and to cease they in/on/with force and strength

24 So the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

in/on/with then to cease service house god [the] that in/on/with Jerusalem and to be to cease till year two to/for kingdom Darius king Persia