1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel, 2Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the heads {chief} of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, who brought us up here {hither}. 3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads {chief} of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, hath commanded us. 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5And 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.

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

7And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic {the Syrian tongue}, and set forth the Aramaic language {interpreted in the Syrian tongue}.

8Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes, the king, in this sort: 9Then wrote Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehaites, and the Elamites, 10And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and so forth {at such a time}. 11This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes, the king: Thy servants, the men on this side the river, send greetings {and at such a time}. 12Be it known unto the king, that the Jews who came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the wicked {bad} city, and have set up its walls {thereof}, and joined the foundations. 13Be it known now unto the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt impair the revenue of the kings. 14Now, because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not fitting {meet} for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed {certified} the king, 15That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers; so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same from of old {time}; for which cause was this city destroyed. 16We inform {certify} the king that, if this city be builded again, and its walls {thereof} set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

17Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum, the chancellor, and to Shimshai, the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and so forth {at such a time}. 18The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 19And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city from of old {time} hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it {therein}. 20There have been mighty kings, also, over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. 21Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me. 22Take heed now that ye fail not to do this. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? 23Now 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.

24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.