Ezra 4:12-24

4:12 Now¹ 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.² They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. 4:13 Let 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 treasury³ will suffer loss. 4:14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king,⁴ and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage,⁵ we are sending the king this information⁶ 4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records⁷ of his predecessors⁸ and discover in those records⁹ that this city is rebellious¹⁰ and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts¹¹ from long ago.¹² It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. 4:16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control¹³ of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

4:17 The 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!¹⁴ 4:18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 4:19 So I gave orders,¹⁵ and it was determined¹⁶ that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in¹⁷ rebellion and revolt. 4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates¹⁸ and who were the beneficiaries of¹⁹ tribute, custom, and toll. 4:21 Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.²⁰ 4:22 Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?”

4:23 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 Jerusalem²¹ and stopped them with threat of armed force.²²

4:24 So 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.²³

¹tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.

²sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.

³tn Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT), 74.

⁴tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”

⁵tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”

⁶tn Aram “and we have made known.”

⁷tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

⁸tn Aram “of your fathers.”

⁹tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

¹⁰tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

¹¹tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

¹²tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

¹³tn Aram “will not be to you.”

¹⁴tn Aram “peace.”

¹⁵tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”

¹⁶tn Aram “and they searched and found.”

¹⁷tn Aram “are being done.”

¹⁸sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.

¹⁹tn Aram “were being given to them.”

²⁰tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”

²¹tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

²²tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

²³sn Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia ca. 522–486 b.c.