1 Now when the adversaries H6862 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 heard H8085 W-VQY3MP that H3588 CONJ the children H1121 CMP of the captivity H1473 built H1129 the temple H1964 unto the LORD H3068 L-EDS God H430 CDP of Israel H3478 LMS ;
2 Then they came H5066 to H413 PREP Zerubbabel H2216 , and to H413 PREP the chief H7218 CMP of the fathers H1 , and said H559 W-VQY3MP unto them , Let us build H1129 VQI1MS with H5973 PREP-3MP you : for H3588 CONJ we seek H1875 your God H430 , as ye do ; and we H587 PPRO-1MP do sacrifice H2076 unto him since the days H3117 of Esar H634 - haddon king H4428 NMS of Assur H804 GFS , which brought us up H5927 hither H6311 .
3 But Zerubbabel H2216 , and Jeshua H3442 , and the rest H7605 of the chief H7218 CMP of the fathers H1 of Israel H3478 , said H559 W-VQY3MS unto them , Ye have nothing H3808 ADV to do with us to build H1129 a house H1004 NMS unto our God H430 ; but H3588 CONJ we ourselves H587 PPRO-1MP together H3162 ADV will build H1129 VQI1MS unto the LORD H3068 L-EDS God H430 CDP of Israel H3478 , as H834 K-RPRO king H4428 NMS Cyrus H3566 the king H4428 NMS of Persia H6539 hath commanded H6680 us .
4 Then the people H5971 NMS of the land H776 D-GFS weakened H7503 the hands H3027 CFD of the people H5971 NMS of Judah H3063 , and troubled H1089 them in building H1129 ,
5 And hired H7936 counselors H3289 VQPMS against H5921 PREP-3MP them , to frustrate H6565 their purpose H6098 , all H3605 NMS the days H3117 CMP of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 NMS of Persia H6539 , even until H5704 W-PREP the reign H4438 CFP of Darius H1867 king H4428 NMS of Persia H6539 .
6 And in the reign H4438 CFP-3MS of Ahasuerus H325 , in the beginning H8462 of his reign H4438 CFP-3MS , wrote H3789 they unto him an accusation H7855 against H5921 PREP the inhabitants H3427 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 .
7 And in the days H3117 WB-CMP of Artaxerxes H783 wrote H3789 CMS Bishlam H1312 , Mithredath H4990 , Tabeel H2870 , and the rest H7605 of their companions H3674 , unto H5921 PREP Artaxerxes H783 king H4428 NMS of Persia H6539 ; and the writing H3791 of the letter H5406 was written H3789 in the Syrian tongue H762 , and interpreted H8638 in the Syrian tongue H762 .
8 Rehum H7348 the chancellor H2942 and Shimshai H8124 the scribe H5613 wrote H3790 a H2298 letter H104 against H5922 Jerusalem H3390 to Artaxerxes H783 the king H4430 in this sort H3660 :
9 Then H116 wrote Rehum H7348 the chancellor H2942 , and Shimshai H8124 the scribe H5613 , and the rest H7606 of their companions H3675 ; the Dinaites H1784 , the Apharsathchites H671 , the Tarpelites H2967 , the Apharsites H670 , the Archevites H756 , the Babylonians H896 , the Susanchites H7801 , the Dehavites H1723 , and the Elamites H5962 ,
10 And the rest H7606 of the nations H524 whom H1768 the great H7229 and noble H3358 Asnappar H620 brought over H1541 , and set H3488 in the cities H7149 of H1768 Samaria H8115 , and the rest H7606 that are on this side H5675 the river H5103 , and at such a time H3706 .
11 This H1836 is the copy H6573 of the letter H104 that H1768 they sent H7972 unto H5922 him , even unto H5922 Artaxerxes H783 the king H4430 ; Thy servants H5649 the men H606 on this side H5675 the river H5103 , and at such a time H3706 .
12 Be H1934 it known H3046 unto the king H4430 , that the Jews H3062 which H1768 came up H5559 from thee to H5922 us are come H858 unto Jerusalem H3390 , building H1124 the rebellious H4779 and the bad H873 city H7149 , and have set up H3635 the walls H7792 thereof , and joined H2338 the foundations H787 .
13 Be H1934 it known H3046 now H3705 unto the king H4430 , that H1768 , if H2006 this H1791 city H7149 be built H1124 , and the walls H7792 set up H3635 again , then will they not H3809 pay H5415 toll H4061 , tribute H1093 , and custom H1983 , and so thou shalt endamage H5142 the revenue H674 of the kings H4430 .
14 Now H3705 because H3606 we have maintenance H4415 from the king\'s palace H1965 , and it was not H3809 meet H749 for us to see H2370 the king H4430 \'s dishonor H6173 , therefore H5922 have we sent H7972 and certified H3046 the king H4430 ;
15 That H1768 search may be made H1240 in the book H5609 of the records H1799 of H1768 thy fathers H2 : so shalt thou find H7912 in the book H5609 of the records H1799 , and know H3046 that H1768 this H1791 city H7149 is a rebellious H4779 city H7149 , and hurtful H5142 unto kings H4430 and provinces H4083 , and that they have moved H5648 sedition H849 within the same H1459 of H4481 old H5957 time H3118 : for H5922 which cause H1836 was this H1791 city H7149 destroyed H2718 .
16 We H586 certify H3046 the king H4430 that H1768 , if H2006 this H1791 city H7149 be built H1124 again , and the walls H7792 thereof set up H3635 , by this H1836 means H6903 thou shalt have H383 no H3809 portion H2508 on this side H5675 the river H5103 .
17 Then sent H7972 the king H4430 an answer H6600 unto H5922 Rehum H7348 the chancellor H1169 , and to Shimshai H8124 the scribe H5613 , and to the rest H7606 of their companions H3675 that H1768 dwell H3488 in Samaria H8115 , and unto the rest H7606 beyond H5675 the river H5103 , Peace H8001 , and at such a time H3706 .
18 The letter H5407 which H1768 ye sent H7972 unto H5922 us hath been plainly H6568 read H7123 before H6925 me .
19 And I commanded H7761 , and search hath been made H1240 , and it is found H7912 that H1768 this H1791 city H7149 of H4481 old H5957 time H3118 hath made insurrection H5376 against H5922 kings H4430 , and that rebellion H4776 and sedition H849 have been made H5648 therein .
20 There have been H1934 mighty H8624 kings H4430 also over H5922 Jerusalem H3390 , which have ruled H7990 over all H3606 countries beyond H5675 the river H5103 ; and toll H4061 , tribute H1093 , and custom H1983 , was paid H3052 unto them .
21 Give H7761 ye now H3705 commandment H2942 to cause these H479 men H1400 to cease H989 , and that this H1791 city H7149 be not H3809 built H1124 , until H5705 another commandment H2941 shall be given H7761 from H4481 me .
22 Take heed H2095 now that ye fail not H7960 to do H5648 this H5922 : why H4101 should damage H2257 grow H7680 to the hurt H5142 of the kings H4430 ?
23 Now H116 when H4481 the copy H6573 of king H4430 Artaxerxes H783 \' letter H5407 was read H7123 before H6925 Rehum H7348 , and Shimshai H8124 the scribe H5613 , and their companions H3675 , they went up H236 in haste H924 to Jerusalem H3390 unto H5922 the Jews H3062 , and made them H1994 to cease H989 by force H153 and power H2429 .
24 Then H116 ceased H989 the work H5673 of the house H1005 of God H426 which H1768 is at Jerusalem H3390 . So H1934 it ceased H989 unto H5705 the second H8648 year H8140 of the reign H4437 of Darius H1868 king H4430 of Persia H6540 .