Adversaries Hinder the Work 1And the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin will hear that the sons of the captivity were building the temple to Jehovah God of Israel; 2And they will come near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of the fathers, and they will say to them, We will build with you: for like you we will seek for your God: for we sacrifice not from the days of Esa-Haddon king of Assur bringing us up hither. 3And to them Zerubbabel will say, and Joshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers to Israel, Not to you and to us to build a house to our God; for we together will build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus king of Persia commanded us. 4And the people of the land will be slackening the hands of the people of Judah, and terrifying them in building, 5And counselors being hired against them to annul their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, and even to the kingdom of Darius king of Persia. Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes 6And in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his kingdom, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7And in the days of Arthasatha, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues, to Arthasatha, king of Persia; and the writing of the letter being written in Syriac, and being interpreted in Syriac.
8Rehum, lord of judgment, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote one epistle against Jerusalem to Arthasatha the king, thus:
9Then Rehum lord of The Decree of Artaxerxes 17And the king sent word to Rehum, lord of judgment, and to Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who dwelt in Shomeron, and the rest beyond the river, Peace and as now.
18The epistle that ye sent to us being read distinctly before me.
19And a decree being set from me, and they sought and found that this city from days forever lifting itself up against kings, and perverseness and rebellion being made in it.
20And strong kings were over Jerusalem, and ruling over all beyond the river: and tribute, excise, and, toll, being given to them.
21Now set up a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city shall not be built till a decree shall be set up from me.
22And be ye warned from doing wrong upon this: wherefore shall harm overtake to endamage the kings?
23Then after the copy of the epistle of Arthasatha the king being read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they went away to Jerusalem to the Jews, and caused them to cease by arm and strength.
24At that time ceased the work of the house of God which is in Jerusalem. And it was ceasing even till two years to the kingdom of Darius king of Persia. The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally From The Original Tongues by Julia E. Smith Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible |