In the days of (A)Artaxerxes also, [a]Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in (B)Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language. [b]Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion:

[c]From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions—representatives of (C)the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and [d]Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites, 10 (D)and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond [e]the River—(E)and[f] so forth.

11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, [g]and so forth:

12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the (F)rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its (G)walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay (H)tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:7 Or in peace
  2. Ezra 4:8 The original language of Ezra 4:8 through 6:18 is Aramaic.
  3. Ezra 4:9 Lit. Then
  4. Ezra 4:9 Or Susa
  5. Ezra 4:10 The Euphrates
  6. Ezra 4:10 Lit. and now
  7. Ezra 4:11 Lit. and now

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