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1 When the enemies of Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand) heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), 2 they approached Zerubbabel (sown in Babylon) and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you⁺ because, like you⁺, we seek your⁺ God {Elohehem} and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon (Ashur has given a brother) of Assyria (a step), who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel (sown in Babylon), Jeshua (he is saved), and the other heads of the families of Israel (he wrestles with God) replied, “You⁺ have no part with us in building a house for our God {Elohehenu}, since we alone must build it for the LORD {YHWH}, the God of Israel, as Cyrus (possess the furnace) king of Persia (pure / splendid) has commanded us.” 4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah (praised) and make them afraid to build. 5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus (possess the furnace) king of Persia (pure / splendid) and down to the reign of Darius (lord) king of Persia. 6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes {Ahasuerus}, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace). 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king (I will make the spoiled to boil) of Persia (pure / splendid), Bishlam (in peace), Mithredath (given by Mithra), Tabeel (God is good), and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic (language) and then translated. 8 Rehum (compassion) the commander and Shimshai (sunny) the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem (city of peace) to King Artaxerxes (I will make the spoiled to boil) as follows: 9 From Rehum (compassion) the commander, Shimshai (sunny) the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges (judgment) and officials over Tripolis (they of the fallen mountain), Persia, Erech (lengthy) and Babylon (confusion by mixing), the Elamites of Susa, Ezra 4:1-9, Berean Annotated Bible. Public domain.
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