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 came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here."3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us."4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. [^1]5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, "they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language. "[^4]8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates —the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:12 The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer. [^5]14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king,15 so that a search may be made in the archives of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.17 The king sent this reply: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates: Greetings.18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence.19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition.20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them.21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

1 Audierunt autem hostes Jud et Benjamin, quia filii captivitatis dificarent templum Domino Deo Isral : 2 et accedentes ad Zorobabel, et ad principes patrum, dixerunt eis : dificemus vobiscum, quia ita ut vos, qurimus Deum vestrum : ecce nos immolavimus victimas a diebus Asor Haddan regis Assur, qui adduxit nos huc. 3 Et dixit eis Zorobabel, et Josue, et reliqui principes patrum Isral : Non est vobis et nobis ut dificemus domum Deo nostro, sed nos ipsi soli dificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut prcepit nobis Cyrus rex Persarum. 4 Factum est igitur ut populus terr impediret manus populi Jud, et turbaret eos in dificando. 5 Conduxerunt autem adversus eos consiliatores, ut destruerent consilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum, et usque ad regnum Darii regis Persarum.6 In regno autem Assueri, in principio regni ejus, scripserunt accusationem adversus habitatores Jud et Jerusalem. 7 Et in diebus Artaxerxis scripsit Beselam, Mithridates, et Thabeel, et reliqui qui erant in consilio eorum, ad Artaxerxem regem Persarum : epistola autem accusationis scripta erat syriace, et legebatur sermone syro. 8 Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, scripserunt epistolam unam de Jerusalem Artaxerxi regi, hujuscemodi : 9 Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et reliqui consiliatores eorum, Dini, et Apharsathachi, Terphali, Apharsi, Erchui, Babylonii, Susanechi, Dievi, et lamit, 10 et ceteri de gentibus, quas transtulit Asenaphar magnus et gloriosus, et habitare eas fecit in civitatibus Samari, et in reliquis regionibus trans flumen in pace 11 (hoc est exemplar epistol, quam miserunt ad eum), Artaxerxi regi, servi tui, viri qui sunt trans fluvium, salutem dicunt. 12 Notum sit regi quia Judi, qui ascenderunt a te ad nos, venerunt in Jerusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam, quam dificant exstruentes muros ejus, et parietes componentes. 13 Nunc igitur notum sit regi, quia si civitas illa dificata fuerit, et muri ejus instaurati, tributum, et vectigal, et annuos reditus non dabunt, et usque ad reges hc noxa perveniet. 14 Nos autem memores salis, quod in palatio comedimus, et quia lsiones regis videre nefas ducimus, idcirco misimus et nuntiavimus regi, 15 ut recenseas in libris historiarum patrum tuorum, et invenies scriptum in commentariis : et scies quoniam urbs illa, urbs rebellis est, et nocens regibus et provinciis, et bella concitantur in ea ex diebus antiquis : quam ob rem et civitas ipsa destructa est. 16 Nuntiamus nos regi, quoniam si civitas illa dificata fuerit, et muri ipsius instaurati, possessionem trans fluvium non habebis.17 Verbum misit rex ad Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scribam, et ad reliquos, qui erant in consilio eorum habitatores Samari, et ceteris trans fluvium, salutem dicens et pacem. 18 Accusatio, quam misistis ad nos, manifeste lecta est coram me, 19 et a me prceptum est : et recensuerunt, inveneruntque quoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellat, et seditiones, et prlia concitantur in ea : 20 nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Jerusalem, qui et dominati sunt omni regioni qu trans fluvium est : tributum quoque et vectigal, et reditus accipiebant. 21 Nunc ergo audite sententiam : prohibeatis viros illos, ut urbs illa non dificetur donec si forte a me jussum fuerit. 22 Videte ne negligenter hoc impleatis, et paulatim crescat malum contra reges.23 Itaque exemplum edicti Artaxerxis regis lectum est coram Reum Beelteem, et Samsai scriba, et consiliariis eorum : et abierunt festini in Jerusalem ad Judos, et prohibuerunt eos in brachio et robore. 24 Tunc intermissum est opus domus Domini in Jerusalem, et non fiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum.