1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the
captivity builded the temple unto YAHUAH YAHUAH of YisraYAH;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto
them, Let us build with you: for we seek your YAHUAH, as ye [do]; and we
do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought
us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of
YisraYAH, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto
our YAHUAH; but we ourselves together will build unto YAHUAH YAHUAH of
YisraYAH, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath 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 counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days
of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 ¶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they
[unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Yerusalem.
7 And 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.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Yerusalem
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, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites,
[and] the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over,
and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the
river, and at such a time.
11 This [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.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are
come unto Yerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up
the walls [thereof], and joined the foundations.
13 Be 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.
14 Now 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;
15 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 destroyed.
16 We 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.
17 ¶ [Then] 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.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And 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.
20 There have been mighty kings also over Yerusalem, which have ruled over all
[countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be
not builded, until [another] commandment shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt
of the kings?
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter [was] read before Rehum, and
Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Yerusalem
unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of El which [is] at Yerusalem. So it ceased
unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.