Ezra 4

Ezra · Chapter 4

Ezra 4:15

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 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 Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the 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 counsellors 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 the Syrian tongue, and 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 Dehavites, and the Elamites,10And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and 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, and at such a time.12Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the 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 endamage the revenue of the kings.14Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and 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 of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.16We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the 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 that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and 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 of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
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 of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.that 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 of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Aramaic words

This passage was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires, which the Jews of the exile also spoke. It uses the same alphabet as Hebrew.

EnglishAramaicSay itStrong'sMeaning
thatדִּ֡יdiH1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

he will searchיְבַקַּר֩ye-va-KARH1240
to enquire

בְּקַר (be.qar) 1) to seek, enquire 1a) (Pael) to enquire 1b) (Ithpael) to let search be made

in [the] book ofבִּֽסְפַר־bis-far-H5609
scroll

סְפַר (se.phar) scroll, book Aramaic of se.pher (סֵ֫פֶר ": document" H5612A)

records theדָּכְרָ֨נַיָּ֜אda-khe-RA-nai-YA'H1799B
record

דָּכְרָן (dak.ran) record, memorandum Aramaic of zikh.ron (זִכָּרוֹן "memorial" H2146)

ofדִּ֣יdiH1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

fathers yourאֲבָהָתָ֗ךְ'a-va-ha-TAKHH0002
father

אַב (av) father Aramaic of av (אָב "father" H0001)

so you may findוּ֠תְהַשְׁכַּחU-te-hash-kachH7912
to find

שְׁכַח (she.khach) 1) to find 1a) (Aphel) to find 1b) (Ithp'al) to be found

in [the] book ofבִּסְפַ֣רbis-FARH5609
scroll

סְפַר (se.phar) scroll, book Aramaic of se.pher (סֵ֫פֶר ": document" H5612A)

records theדָּכְרָנַיָּא֮da-khe-ra-nai-YA'H1799B
record

דָּכְרָן (dak.ran) record, memorandum Aramaic of zikh.ron (זִכָּרוֹן "memorial" H2146)

so you may knowוְתִנְדַּע֒ve-tin-DA'H3046
to know

יְדַע (ye.da) 1) to know 1a) (P'al) to know 1b) (Aphel) to let someone know, communicate, inform, cause to know

thatדִּי֩diH1768
that

דִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because

city theקִרְיְתָ֨אkir-ye-TA'H7149
town

קִרְיָה (qir.yah) city Aramaic of qir.yah (קִרְיָה "town" H7151)

thisדָ֜ךְdakhH1791
this

דֵּךְ (dekh) this Aramaic of zeh (זֶה "this" H2088)

[is] a cityקִרְיָ֣אkir-YA'H7149
town

קִרְיָה (qir.yah) city Aramaic of qir.yah (קִרְיָה "town" H7151)

rebelliousמָֽרָדָ֗אma-ra-DA'H4779
rebellious

מָרָד (ma.rad) rebellious

and injuringוּֽמְהַנְזְקַ֤תu-me-han-ze-KATH5142
to suffer injury

נְזַק (ne.zaq) 1) to suffer injury 1a) (P'al) to suffer injury 1b) (Aphel) to injure

of kingsמַלְכִין֙mal-KHINH4430
king

מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) king Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428) § 1) king

and provincesוּמְדִנָ֔ןu-me-di-NANH4083
province

מְדִינָה (me.di.nah) district, province Aramaic of me.di.nah (מְדִינָה "province" H4082)

and a revoltוְאֶשְׁתַּדּוּר֙ve-'esh-ta-DURH0849
sedition

אֶשְׁתַּדּוּר (esh.tad.dur) revolt, sedition

[it was] makingעָבְדִ֣ין'a-ve-DINH5648
to make

עֲבַד (a.vad) 1) to make, do 1a)(P'al) 1a1) to make, create 1a2) to do, perform 1b) (Ithp'al) 1b1) to be made into 1b2) to be done, be wrought, be performed, be executed, be carried out

in midst itsבְּגַוַּ֔הּbe-ga-VAHH1459
midst

גַּו (gav) midst, the midst Aramaic of gev (גֵּו "midst" H1460B)

fromמִן־min-H4481
from

מִן־ (min) 1) from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than 1a) from, out of (of place) 1b) from, by, as a result of, by reason of, at, according to, (of source) 1c) from (of time) 1d) beyond, more than (in comparisons)

[the] days ofיוֹמָ֖תyo-MATH3118
day

יוֹם (yom) 1) day 2) day always refers to a twenty-four hour period when the word is modified by a definite or cardinal number

the antiquityעָלְמָ֑א'al-MA'H5957
perpetuity

עָלַם (a.lam) perpetuity, antiquity, for ever Aramaic of o.lam (עוֹלָם ": old" H5769J)

onעַ֨ל־'Al-H5922
since

עַל (al) 1) upon, over, on account of, above, to, against 1a) upon, over, on account of, regarding, concerning, on behalf of 1b) over (with verbs of ruling) 1c) above, beyond (in comparison) 1d) to, against (of direction)

thisדְּנָ֔הde-NAHH1836
this

דְּנָה (de.nah) demons pron 1) this, on account of this adv 2) therefore

city theקִרְיְתָ֥אkir-ye-TA'H7149
town

קִרְיָה (qir.yah) city Aramaic of qir.yah (קִרְיָה "town" H7151)

thisדָ֖ךְdakhH1791
this

דֵּךְ (dekh) this Aramaic of zeh (זֶה "this" H2088)

it was laid wasteהָֽחָרְבַֽת׃HA-cha-re-VATH2718
be wasted

חֲרַב (cha.rav) 1) to dry up, be waste 1a) (Hophal) to be laid waste

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.