1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah , the God of Israel ; 2then they drew near to Zerubbabel , and to the heads of fathers’ houses , and said unto them , Let us build with you ; for we seek your God , as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither . 3But Zerubbabel , and Jeshua , and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel , said unto them , Ye have nothing to do with us in building a house unto our God ; but we ourselves together will build unto Jehovah , the 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 .
The Letter to King Artaxerxes
6And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign , wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem . 7And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam , Mithredath , Tabeel , and the rest of his companions , unto Artaxerxes king of Persia ; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian character , and set forth 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 , and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites , the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites , 10and 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.
The Impact of Opposition
11This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king : Thy servants the men beyond the River , and so forth. 12Be it known unto the king , that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem ; they are building the rebellious and the bad city , and have finished the walls , and repaired the foundations. 13Be it known now unto the king , that , if this city be builded , and the walls finished , they will not pay tribute , custom , or toll , and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings . 14Now because we eat the salt of the palace , and it is not meet for us to see the king ’s dishonor , 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 laid waste . 16We certify the king that , if this city be builded , and the walls finished , by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond 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 in the rest of the country beyond the River : Peace , and so forth. 18The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me . 19And I decreed, 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 , who have ruled over all the country beyond the River ; and tribute , custom , and toll , was paid unto them . 21Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded , until a decree shall be made by me . 22And take heed that ye be not slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings ? 23Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum , and Shimshai the scribe , and their companions , they went 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 ; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia .