1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabeland the heads of the families, saying, "Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here."
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, "You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrusking of Persiahas commanded us."
4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. 5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrusking of Persiaand down to the reign of Dariusking of Persia.
Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes
6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerusan accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxesking of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.4:7 The original text of Ezra 4:8 through Ezra 6:18 is in Aramaic.
8 Rehumthe commander and Shimshaithe scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalemto King Artaxerxesas follows:
9 From Rehumthe commander, Shimshaithe scribe, and the rest of their associates— the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erechand Babylon, the Elamitesof Susa, 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal4:10 Aramaic Osnappar, another name for Ashurbanipaldeported and settled in the cities of Samariaand elsewhere west of the Euphrates.4:10 Aramaic beyond the River; also in verses 11, 16, 17, and 20
11 (This is the text of the letter they sent to him.)
To King Artaxerxes,
From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalemand are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.
13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
14 Now because we are in the service of the palace4:14 Literally because the salt of the palace is our saltand it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king 15 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.
16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
The Decree of Artaxerxes
17 Then the king sent this reply:
To Rehumthe commander, Shimshaithe scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samariaand elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates:
Greetings.
18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence. 19 I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition. 20 And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalemand exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
21 Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22 See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxeswas read to Rehum, Shimshaithe scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalemand forcibly stopped them.
24 Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalemceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Dariusking of Persia.
Pessoa
Tribo de Judah
Zerubbabel
זְרֻבָּבֶלzərubabelΖοροβαβελZorobabel
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, returned from captivity to Jerusalem with Jeshua and began to rebuild the temple of God; in the time of Haggai the prophet, he was governor of Judah (Haggai 2:2).
Assyria is the land whose kings took Galilee and Naphtali, besieged Samaria for three years, and deported Israel to Halah, Habor, and Gozan. Sennacherib, its king, sent servants to Hezekiah in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 32:9).
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, returned from captivity to Jerusalem with Jeshua and began to rebuild the temple of God; in the time of Haggai the prophet, he was governor of Judah (Haggai 2:2).
Cyrus, king of Persia, decreed the return of the exiled Jews and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and returned the vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:2).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
Cyrus, king of Persia, decreed the return of the exiled Jews and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and returned the vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 1:2).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
Darius, king of Persia, ordered a search for the decree of Cyrus and authorized the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which was finished in the sixth year of his reign (Ezra 6:15).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
Ahasuerus, the king of Persia who reigned from India to Ethiopia, deposed Queen Vashti, made Esther queen, and at Esther’s request had Haman hanged (Esther 1:1).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).
Elam is a land whose king, Chedorlaomer, was among four kings at war against five; the Lord declared he would break the bow of Elam and restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come (Jeremiah 49:39).
Susa is the citadel where the Jew Mordecai lived, where the edict for the annihilation of the Jews was published, and where the Jews killed five hundred men (Esther 9:6).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Jerusalem is the city of the house of God, where children of Judah and Benjamin lived; the Babylonian army broke down the walls of the city (2 Kings 25:10).
Darius, king of Persia, ordered a search for the decree of Cyrus and authorized the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which was finished in the sixth year of his reign (Ezra 6:15).
Persia is the kingdom of Cyrus, the king who said that the Lord, the God of heaven, had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and the task of building a temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2).