| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | NET Bible |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles were building a temple for the LORD God of Israel, |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them, "Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here." |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, "You have no right to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the LORD God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us." |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4Then the local people began to discourage the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. This letter was first written in Aramaic but then translated. [Aramaic:] |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues--the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites), |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10and the rest of nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11(This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:) "To King Artaxerxes, from your servants in Trans-Euphrates: |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12Now let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this information |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15so that he may initiate a search of the records of his predecessors and discover in those records that this city is rebellious and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts from long ago. It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control of this portion of Trans-Euphrates." |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17The king sent the following response: "To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19So I gave orders, and it was determined that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in rebellion and revolt. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?" |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23Then, 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. |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. |
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