Ezra 4:23
New International Version
As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

New Living Translation
When this letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their colleagues, they hurried to Jerusalem. Then, with a show of strength, they forced the Jews to stop building.

English Standard Version
Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.

Berean Standard Bible
When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

King James Bible
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

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

New American Standard Bible
Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ decree was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in a hurry to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by military force.

NASB 1995
Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.

NASB 1977
Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force and military.

Amplified Bible
Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they went up hurriedly to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them stop [work] by force of arms.

Christian Standard Bible
As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

American Standard Version
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Then when a copy of the letter of Artakhshesht the King came, they read it before Arkhum, Master Taster, and Shemshi the Scribe and in front of those who were their equals. They came in quietness against Yehudah to Jerusalem, and they stopped them with a mighty army.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Then the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read the letter before Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease with horses and an armed force.

Contemporary English Version
As soon as this letter was read, Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors went to Jerusalem and forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power.

English Revised Version
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and their group hurried to Jerusalem after hearing a copy of King Artaxerxes' letter. They forced the Jews to stop rebuilding.

Good News Translation
As soon as this letter from Emperor Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their associates, they hurried to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop rebuilding the city.

International Standard Version
As soon as a copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, to Shimshai the scribe, and to their colleagues, they traveled quickly to Jerusalem and compelled the Jews to cease by force of arms.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Literal Standard Version
Then from the time that a copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;

Majority Standard Bible
When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

New American Bible
As soon as a copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter had been read before Rehum, the governor, Shimshai, the scribe, and their fellow officials, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped their work by force of arms.

NET Bible
Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem and stopped them with threat of armed force.

New Revised Standard Version
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and the scribe Shimshai and their associates, they hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease.

New Heart English Bible
Then when the copy of king Artachshasta' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

World English Bible
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.

Young's Literal Translation
Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Decree of Artaxerxes
22See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer? 23When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. 24Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.…

Cross References
Ezra 4:7
And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.

Ezra 4:22
See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?

Ezra 4:24
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


Treasury of Scripture

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Rehum

Ezra 4:8,9,17
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: …

they went up

Proverbs 4:16
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

Micah 2:1
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.

Romans 3:15
Their feet are swift to shed blood:

force.

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Arms Artaxerxes Ar-Ta-Xerx'es Cease Companions Compelled Copy Force Friends Haste Immediately Jerusalem Jews Letter Power Read Reading Rehum Scribe Secretary Shimshai Shim'shai Soon Stopped
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Arms Artaxerxes Ar-Ta-Xerx'es Cease Companions Compelled Copy Force Friends Haste Immediately Jerusalem Jews Letter Power Read Reading Rehum Scribe Secretary Shimshai Shim'shai Soon Stopped
Ezra 4
1. The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews,
4. endeavor to hinder it
7. Their letter to Artaxerxes
17. The answer and decree of Artaxerxes
23. The building is hindered














Verse 23. - They went up in haste. The "adversaries" lost no time. Having obtained the decree which forbad further building, they proceeded with it to Jerusalem, and by a display of force compelled the Jews to submission. No doubt resistance might have been made, but resistance would have been rebellion.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When
אֱדַ֗יִן (’ĕ·ḏa·yin)
Adverb
Strong's 116: Then, thereupon

the text
פַּרְשֶׁ֤גֶן (par·še·ḡen)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6573: A transcript

of the letter
נִשְׁתְּוָנָא֙ (niš·tə·wā·nā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 5407: An epistle

from King
מַלְכָּ֔א (mal·kā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

Artaxerxes
אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣שְׂתְּ (’ar·taḥ·šaśt)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 783: Artaxerxes -- a son and successor of Xerxes, king of Persia

was read
קֱרִ֧י (qĕ·rî)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7123: To call, read out or aloud

to
קֳדָם־ (qo·ḏām-)
Preposition
Strong's 6925: Before

Rehum,
רְח֛וּם (rə·ḥūm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7348: Rehum -- 'compassion', the name of several Israelites

Shimshai
וְשִׁמְשַׁ֥י (wə·šim·šay)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8124: Shimshai -- a scribe who opposed Israel

the scribe,
סָפְרָ֖א (sā·p̄ə·rā)
Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 5613: A secretary, scribe

and their associates,
וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן (ū·ḵə·nā·wā·ṯə·hō·wn)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3675: An associate

they went
אֲזַ֨לוּ (’ă·za·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 236: To go, go off

immediately
בִבְהִיל֤וּ (ḇiḇ·hî·lū)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 924: A hurry, hastily

to
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5922: Above, over, upon, against

the Jews
יְה֣וּדָיֵ֔א (yə·hū·ḏā·yê)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3062: Jews -- inhabitants of Judah

in Jerusalem
לִירֽוּשְׁלֶם֙ (lî·rū·šə·lem)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3390: Jerusalem -- the capital city of all Israel

and forcibly
בְּאֶדְרָ֥ע (bə·’eḏ·rā‘)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 153: An arm, power

stopped
וּבַטִּ֥לוּ (ū·ḇaṭ·ṭi·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 989: To cease

them.
הִמּ֖וֹ (him·mōw)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1994: They


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OT History: Ezra 4:23 Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' (Ezr. Ez)
Ezra 4:22
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