[1] Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children
of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel; [2]
then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers` [houses],
and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do;
and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who
brought us up here. [3] But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the
heads of fathers` [houses] of Israel, said to them, You have nothing to do
with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will
build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has
commanded us. [4] Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the
people of Judah, and troubled them in building, [5] and 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. [6] In the reign of
Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against
the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. [7] In the days of Artaxerxes wrote
Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes
king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian
[character], and set forth in the Syrian [language]. [8] Rehum the
chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to
Artaxerxes the king in this sort: [9] then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor,
and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites,
and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites,
the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, [10] and
the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and
set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the
River, and so forth. [11] This is the copy of the letter that they sent to
Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.
[12] Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you are come
to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and
have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations. [13] Be it known now
to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will
not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the
kings. [14] Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not
appropriate for us to see the king`s dishonor, therefore have we sent and
informed the king; [15] that search may be made in the book of the records
of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know
that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces,
and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which
cause was this city laid waste. [16] We inform the king that, if this city
be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion
beyond the River. [17] [Then] sent the king an answer to Rehum the
chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions
who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest [of the country] beyond the River:
Peace, and so forth. [18] The letter which you sent to us has been plainly
read before me. [19] I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found
that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that
rebellion and sedition have been made therein. [20] There have been mighty
kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the
River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them. [21] Make you now a
decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until
a decree shall be made by me. [22] Take heed that you not be slack herein:
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? [23] Then when the copy of
king Artaxerxes` letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and
their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made
them to cease by force and power. [24] Then ceased the work of the house of
God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign
of Darius king of Persia.
