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| [1]And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel, |
[1]But the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard, that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel. |
| [2]and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.' |
[2]And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief fathers, and said unto them, We will build with you: for we seek the Lord your God as ye do, and we have sacrificed unto him since the time of Esar Haddon king of Asshur, [Assyria] which brought us up hither. |
| [3]And Zerubbabel saith to them, also Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers of Israel, `Not for you, and for us, to build a house to our God; but we ourselves together do build to Jehovah God of Israel, as the king Cyrus, king of Persia, commanded us.' |
[3]Then Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel, said unto them, It is not for you, but for us to build the house unto our God: for we ourselves together will build it unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. |
| [4]And it cometh to pass, the people of the land are making the hands of the people of Judah feeble, and troubling them in building, |
[4]Wherefore the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, |
| [5]and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia. |
[5]And they hired counselors against them, to hinder their devise, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. |
| [6]And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the commencement of his reign, they have written an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem; |
[6]And in the reign of Ahasuerus (in the beginning of his reign) wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. |
| [7]and in the days of Artaxerxes have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean. |
[7]And in the days of Artaxerxes, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions wrote when it was peace, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter was the Aramites' [Syrians'] writing, and the thing declared was in the language of the Aramites [Syrians]. |
| [8]Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus: |
[8]Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, in this sort. |
| [9]Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites), |
[9]Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions Dinai, and Apharsathcai, Tarpelai, Apharsai, Archevai, Bablai, Shushanchai, Dehave, Elamai, |
| [10]and the rest of the nations that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, and at such a time: |
[10]And the rest of the people whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and other that are beyond the river and Cheeneth. |
| [11]This [is] a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time; |
[11]This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto king Artaxerxes, Thy servants the men beyond the river and Cheeneth, salute thee. |
| [12]Be it known to the king, that the Jews who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join. |
[12]Be it known unto the king that the Jews, which came up from thee to us, are come unto Jerusalem (a city rebellious and wicked) and build, and lay the foundations of the walls, and have joined the foundations. |
| [13]`Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss. |
[13]Be it known now unto the king, that if this city be built, and the foundations of the walls laid, they will not give toll, tribute, nor custom: so shalt thou hinder the king's tribute. |
| [14]Now, because that the salt of the palace [is] our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king; |
[14]Now therefore because we have been brought up in the king's palace, it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor: for this cause have we sent and certified the king, |
| [15]so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city [is] a rebellious city, and causing loss [to] kings and provinces, and makers of sedition [are] in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted. |
[15]That one may search in the book of the Chronicles of thy fathers, and thou shalt find in the book of the Chronicles, and perceive that this city is rebellious and noise some unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition of old time, for the which cause this city was destroyed. |
| [16]We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.' |
[16]We certify the king therefore, that if this city be builded, and the foundation of the walls laid, by this means the portion beyond the river shall not be thine. |
| [17]An answer hath the king sent unto Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions who are dwelling in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, `Peace, and at such a time: |
[17]The king sent an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwelt in Samaria, and unto the other beyond the river, Shelam and Cheeth. |
| [18]The letter that ye sent unto us, explained, hath been read before me, |
[18]The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me, |
| [19]and by me a decree hath been made, and they sought, and have found that this city from the days of old against kings is lifting up itself, and rebellion and sedition is made in it, |
[19]And I have commanded and they have searched, and found, that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and hath rebelled, and rebellion hath been committed therein. |
| [20]and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them. |
[20]There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all beyond the River, and toll, tribute, and custom was given unto them. |
| [21]`Now, make ye a decree to cause these men to cease, and this city is not builded, till by me a decree is made. |
[21]Make ye now a decree, that those men may cease, and that the city be not built, till I have given another commandment. |
| [22]And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss of the kings?' |
[22]Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to hurt the king? |
| [23]Then from the time that a copy of the letter of king Artaxerxes is read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they have gone in haste to Jerusalem, unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and strength; |
[23]When the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and caused them to cease by force and power. |
| [24]then ceased the service of the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem, and it ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. |
[24]Then ceased the work of the house of God, which was in Jerusalem, and did stay unto the second year of Darius king of Persia. |