Ezra 5

Ezra 5:1 But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them,

Ezra 5:2 Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, helping them.

Ezra 5:3 At that time, Tattenai, the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues came to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”

Ezra 5:4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the workers constructing this building?”

Ezra 5:5 But God was watching over the Jewish elders. These men wouldn’t stop them until a report was sent to Darius so that they could receive written instructions about this matter.

Ezra 5:6 This is the text of the letter that Tattenai, the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues, the regional officials, sent to King Darius.

Ezra 5:7 They sent him a report, written as follows: To King Darius: All greetings.

Ezra 5:8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the house of the great God in the province of Judah. It is being built with cut stones, and its beams are set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.

Ezra 5:9 So we asked the elders, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”

Ezra 5:10 We also asked them for their names so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

Ezra 5:11 This is their reply: We are the servants of the God of the sky[1] and land, and we are rebuilding the temple built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

Ezra 5:12 But since our ancestors angered the God of the sky, he handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.

Ezra 5:13 However, in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.

Ezra 5:14 He also took from the temple in Babylon the gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and carried them to the temple in Babylon. He released them from the temple in Babylon to a man named Sheshbazzar, the governor by the appointment of King Cyrus.

Ezra 5:15 Cyrus told him, “Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.”

Ezra 5:16 This same Sheshbazzar laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem. It has been under construction since then, but it has not been completed.

Ezra 5:17 So, if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archives in Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.

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[1] שָׁמַיִן = sky. Ezra 5:11, 12; 6:9, 10; 7:12, 21, 23.

links:

all about a Promise (part 2)
authorization
clarity

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library

Ezra 4

Ezra 4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Yahveh, the God of Israel,

Ezra 4:2 they approached Zerubbabel and the family heads and said, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria brought us here.”

Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God since we alone will build it for Yahveh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded[1] us.”

Ezra 4:4 Then the people already in the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build.

Ezra 4:5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Ezra 4:6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, the people who were already in the land wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem.

Ezra 4:7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to him in Aramaic and translated.

Ezra 4:8 Rehum, the chief deputy, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

Ezra 4:9 From Rehum, the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues– the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam),

Ezra 4:10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River.

Ezra 4:11 This is the text of the letter they sent to him: To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men from the region west of the Euphrates River:

Ezra 4:12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you have returned to us at Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, finishing its walls, and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 4:13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.

Ezra 4:14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not suitable for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king.

Ezra 4:15 states that a search should be made in your ancestors’ record books. In these record books, you will discover and verify that the city was rebellious and harmful to kings and provinces. Revolts have been occurring in it since ancient times, which is why this city was destroyed.

Ezra 4:16 We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.

Ezra 4:17 The king replied to his chief deputy Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates River: Greetings.

Ezra 4:18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.

Ezra 4:19 I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has had uprisings against kings since ancient times, and there have been rebellions and revolts.

Ezra 4:20 Powerful kings also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.

Ezra 4:21 Therefore, order these men to stop so that this city will not be rebuilt until I have pronounced a further decree.

Ezra 4:22 Do not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase, and the royal interests will suffer.

Ezra 4:23 As soon as the text of King Artaxerxes’s letter was read to Rehum, Shimshai, the scribe, and their colleagues, they immediately went to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.

Ezra 4:24 Now, the construction of God’s house in Jerusalem had stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

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[1] צָוָה = command. Ezra 4:3; 9:11.

links:

an offer to help
allies or adversaries?

The EZRA shelf in Jeff’s library