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Chapter 4
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1
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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; |
2
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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. |
3
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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. |
4
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Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the
people of Judah, and troubled them in building, |
5
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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
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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. |
7
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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
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Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote
a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in
this sort: |
9
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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
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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
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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
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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. |
13
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly
read before me. |
19
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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
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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
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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
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Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the kings? |
23
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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
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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. |
