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Now when
the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that
the children of the captivity builded the temple
unto the Lord God of Israel;
02 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 God, as ye do; and we
do sacrifice unto him since the days of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up
hither.
03 But 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.
04 Then the people of the land weakened the hands
of the people of Judah, and troubled them in
building,
05 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.
06 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the
beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and
Jerusalem.
07 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.
08 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe
wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes
the king in this sort:
09 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 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.
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 Jerusalem,
building the rebellious and the bad city, and
have set up the walls thereof, and joined the
foundations.
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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
Jerusalem, 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
Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease
by force and power.
24 Then 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.
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