1 Now when the adversaries 6862 of Judah 3063 and Benjamin 1144 heard 8085 that the children 1121 of the captivity 1473 builded 1129 the temple 1964 unto the LORD 3068 God 430 of Israel 3478;
2 Then they came 5066 to Zerubbabel 2216, and to the chief 7218 of the fathers 1, and said 559 unto them, Let us build 1129 with you: for we seek 1875 your God 430, as ye do; and we do sacrifice 2076 unto him since the days 3117 of Esarhaddon 634 king 4428 of Assur 804, which brought us up hither 5927.
3 But Zerubbabel 2216, and Jeshua 3442, and the rest 7605 of the chief 7218 of the fathers 1 of Israel 3478, said 559 unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build 1129 an house 1004 unto our God 430; but we ourselves together 3162 will build 1129 unto the LORD 3068 God 430 of Israel 3478, as king 4428 Cyrus 3566 the king 4428 of Persia 6539 hath commanded 6680 us.
4 Then the people 5971 of the land 776 weakened 7503 the hands 3027 of the people 5971 of Judah 3063, and troubled 926 1089 them in building 1129,
5 And hired 7936 counsellors 3289 against them, to frustrate 6565 their purpose 6098, all the days 3117 of Cyrus 3566 king 4428 of Persia 6539, even until the reign 4438 of Darius 1867 king 4428 of Persia 6539.
6 And in the reign 4438 of Ahasuerus 325, in the beginning 8462 of his reign 4438, wrote 3789 they unto him an accusation 7855 against the inhabitants 3427 of Judah 3063 and Jerusalem 3389.
7 And in the days 3117 of Artaxerxes 783 wrote 3789 Bishlam 1312, Mithredath 4990, Tabeel 2870, and the rest 7605 of their companions 3674, unto Artaxerxes 783 king 4428 of Persia 6539; and the writing 3791 of the letter 5406 was written 3789 in the Syrian tongue 762, and interpreted 8638 in the Syrian tongue 762.
8 Rehum 7348 the chancellor 1169 2942 and Shimshai 8124 the scribe 5613 wrote 3790 a 2298 letter 104 against 5922 Jerusalem 3390 to Artaxerxes 783 the king 4430 in this sort 3660:
9 Then 116 wrote Rehum 7348 the chancellor 1169 2942, and Shimshai 8124 the scribe 5613, and the rest 7606 of their companions 3675; the Dinaites 1784, the Apharsathchites 671, the Tarpelites 2967, the Apharsites 670, the Archevites 756, the Babylonians 896, the Susanchites 7801, the Dehavites 1723, and the Elamites 5962,
10 And the rest 7606 of the nations 524 whom 1768 the great 7229 and noble 3358 Asnappar 620 brought over 1541, and set 3488 1994 in the cities 7149 of Samaria 8115, and the rest 7606 that are on this side 5675 the river 5103, and at such a time 3706.
11 This 1836 is the copy 6573 of the letter 104 that 1768 they sent 7972 unto him 5922, even unto Artaxerxes 783 the king 4430; Thy servants 5649 the men 606 on this side 5675 the river 5103, and at such a time 3706.
12 Be it 1934 known 3046 unto the king 4430, that the Jews 3062 which 1768 came up 5559 from 4481 thee 3890 to us 5922 are come 858 unto Jerusalem 3390, building 1124 the rebellious 4779 and the bad 873 city 7149, and have set up 3635 3635 the walls 7792 thereof, and joined 2338 the foundations 787.
13 Be it known 3046 1934 now 3705 unto the king 4430, that, if 2006 this 1791 city 7149 be builded 1124, and the walls 7792 set up 3635 again, then will they not 3809 pay 5415 toll 4061, tribute 1093, and custom 1983, and so thou shalt endamage 5142 the revenue 674 of the kings 4430.
14 Now 3705 because 6903 3606 we have 1768 maintenance 4415 4416 from the king's palace 1965, and it was not 3809 meet 749 for us to see 2370 the king's 4430 dishonour 6173, therefore 5922 1836 have we sent 7972 and certified 3046 the king 4430;
15 That search 1240 may be made in the book 5609 of the records 1799 of thy fathers 2: so shalt thou find 7912 in the book 5609 of the records 1799, and know 3046 that this 1791 city 7149 is a rebellious 4779 city 7149, and hurtful 5142 unto kings 4430 and provinces 4083, and that they have moved 5648 sedition 849 within 4481 the same 1459 of old 5957 time 3118: for 5922 which 1836 cause was this 1791 city 7149 destroyed 2718.
16 We 586 certify 3046 the king 4430 that, if 2006 this 1791 city 7149 be builded 1124 again, and the walls 7792 thereof set up 3635, by this 1836 means 6903 thou shalt have 383 no 3809 portion 2508 on this side 5675 the river 5103.
17 Then sent 7972 the king 4430 an answer 6600 unto 5922 Rehum 7348 the chancellor 1169 2942, and to Shimshai 8124 the scribe 5613, and to the rest 7606 of their companions 3675 that dwell 3488 in Samaria 8115, and unto the rest 7606 beyond 5675 the river 5103, Peace 8001, and at such a time 3706.
18 The letter 5407 which ye sent 7972 unto us 5922 hath been plainly 6568 read 7123 before 6925 me.
19 And I 4481 commanded 7761 2942, and search 1240 hath been made, and it is found 7912 that this 1791 city 7149 of 4481 old 5957 time 3118 hath made insurrection 5376 against 5922 kings 4430, and that rebellion 4776 and sedition 849 have been made 5648 therein.
20 There have been 1934 mighty 8624 kings 4430 also over 5922 Jerusalem 3390, which have ruled 7990 over all 3606 countries beyond 5675 the river 5103; and toll 4061, tribute 1093, and custom 1983, was paid 3052 unto them.
21 Give 7761 ye now 3705 commandment 2942 to cause 989 0 these 479 men 1400 to cease 989, and that this 1791 city 7149 be not 3809 builded 1124, until 5705 another commandment 2941 shall be given 7761 from me 4481.
22 Take heed 1934 2095 now that ye fail 7960 not to do 5922 5648 this 1836: why 4101 should damage 2257 grow 7680 to the hurt 5142 of the kings 4430?
23 Now 116 when 4481 1768 the copy 6573 of king 4430 Artaxerxes 783' letter 5407 was read 7123 before 6925 Rehum 7348, and Shimshai 8124 the scribe 5613, and their companions 3675, they went up 236 in haste 924 to Jerusalem 3390 unto 5922 the Jews 3062, and made them 1994 to cease 989 by force 153 and power 2429.
24 Then 116 ceased 989 the work 5673 of the house 1005 of God 426 which is at Jerusalem 3390. So it ceased 1934 989 unto 5705 the second 8648 year 8140 of the reign 4437 of Darius 1868 king 4430 of Persia 6540.