Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Ezra 4-6
Close HCSB

Ezra 4-6
Holman Christian Standard Bible

Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin(A) heard that the returned exiles[a](B) were building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Him[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria[c] brought us here.”(C)

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,(D) since we alone must build it for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”(E) 4 Then the people who were already in the land[d] discouraged[e] the people of Judah and made them afraid(F) to build. 5 They also bribed officials to act against them to frustrate their plans(G) throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.[f](H)

Opposition to Rebuilding the City

6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus,[g](I) the people who were already in the land[h](J) wrote an accusation against the residents of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 During the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia,[i](K) Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic(L) and translated.[j][k]

8 Rehum the chief deputy and Shimshai the scribe(M) wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes concerning Jerusalem as follows:

9 From Rehum[l] the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges and magistrates[m] from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa(N) (that is, the people of Elam),[n] 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and illustrious Ashurbanipal[o] deported and settled in the cities of Samaria(O) and the region west of the Euphrates River.(P)

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:

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. 13 Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished,(Q) they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax,(R) and the royal revenue[p] will suffer. 14 Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king,[q] and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king 15 that a search should be made in your fathers’ record books.(S) In these record books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces. There have been revolts in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 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.

Artaxerxes’ Reply

17 The king sent a reply 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.

18 The letter you sent us has been translated and read[r](T) in my presence. 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 in it. 20 Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them. 21 Therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until a further decree has been pronounced by me.(U) 22 See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests[s] will suffer.

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

Rebuilding of the Temple Resumed

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.(W) 5 1 But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo(X) prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them, 2 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak(Y) began to rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. The prophets of God(Z) were with them, helping them.

3 At that time Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues(AA) came to the Jews and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”[t](AB) 4 They also asked them, “What are the names of the workers[u] who are constructing this building?” 5 But God was watching[v] over(AC) 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.

The Letter to Darius

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 officials in the region, sent to King Darius. 7 They sent him a report, written as follows:

To King Darius:

All greetings.

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[w] stones, and its beams are being set in the walls. This work is being done diligently and succeeding through the people’s efforts.(AD) 9 So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who gave you the order to rebuild this temple and finish this structure?”[x] 10 We also asked them for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

11 This is the reply they gave us:

We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth and are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.(AE) 12 But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He handed them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.(AF) 13 However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, he issued a decree to rebuild the house of God.(AG) 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.(AH) He released them from the temple in Babylon to a man named Sheshbazzar, the governor by the appointment of King Cyrus.(AI) 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.”(AJ) 16 Then this same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of God’s house in Jerusalem.(AK) It has been under construction from that time until now,(AL) yet it has not been completed.

17 So if it pleases the king, let a search of the royal archives[y] in Babylon be conducted to see if it is true that a decree was issued by King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem.(AM) Let the king’s decision regarding this matter be sent to us.(AN)

Darius’s Search

6 King Darius gave the order, and they searched(AO) in the library of Babylon in the archives.[z](AP) 2 But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media(AQ) that a scroll was found with this record written on it:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree(AR) concerning the house of God in Jerusalem:

Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its original foundations be retained.[aa] Its height is to be 90 feet[ab] and its width 90 feet,[ac][ad](AS) 4 with three layers of cut[ae] stones and one of timber.(AT) The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.(AU) 5 The gold and silver articles of God’s house that Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon must also be returned. They are to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem where they belong[af] and put into the house of God.(AV)

Darius’s Decree

6 Therefore, you must stay away from that place, Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and your[ag] colleagues, the officials in the region.(AW) 7 Leave the construction of the house of God alone. Let the governor(AX) and elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.

8 I hereby issue a decree concerning what you must do, so that the elders of the Jews can rebuild the house of God:

The cost is to be paid in full to these men out of the royal revenues(AY) from the taxes of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, or wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—let it be given to them every day without fail,(AZ) 10 so that they can offer sacrifices of pleasing aroma to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons.(BA)

11 I also issue a decree concerning any man who interferes with this directive:

Let a beam be torn from his house and raised up; he will be impaled on it, and his house will be made into a garbage dump because of this offense.(BB) 12 May the God who caused His name to dwell there(BC) overthrow any king or people who dares[ah] to harm or interfere with this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out diligently.

13 Then Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, Shethar-bozenai, and their colleagues(BD) diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed. 14 So the Jewish elders continued successfully with the building under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo.(BE) They finished the building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,(BF) Darius, and King Artaxerxes(BG) of Persia. 15 This house was completed on the third day of the month of Adar[ai](BH) in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Temple Dedication and the Passover

16 Then the Israelites, including the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of God’s house they offered 100 bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs, as well as 12 male goats(BI) as a sin offering for all Israel—one for each Israelite tribe. 18 They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the book of Moses.(BJ)

19 The exiles(BK) observed the Passover(BL) on the fourteenth day of the first month. 20 All of the priests and Levites were ceremonially clean, because they had purified themselves. They killed the Passover lamb for themselves, their priestly brothers, and all the exiles.(BM) 21 The Israelites who had returned from exile(BN) ate it, together with all who had separated themselves from the uncleanness of the Gentiles of the land[aj](BO) in order to worship Yahweh, the God of Israel. 22 They observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days(BP) with joy, because the Lord had made them joyful, having changed the Assyrian king’s attitude toward them, so that he supported them[ak] in the work on the house of the God of Israel.(BQ)

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:1 Lit the sons of the exile
  2. Ezra 4:2 Alt Hb tradition reads have not been sacrificing
  3. Ezra 4:2 Esar-haddon reigned 681–669 b.c.
  4. Ezra 4:4 Lit people of the land
  5. Ezra 4:4 Lit relaxed the hands of
  6. Ezra 4:5 Darius reigned 521–486 b.c.
  7. Ezra 4:6 = Xerxes; he reigned 486–465 b.c.
  8. Ezra 4:6 Lit people of the land
  9. Ezra 4:7 Artaxerxes reigned 465–425 b.c.
  10. Ezra 4:7 Lit translated. Aramaic:
  11. Ezra 4:7 Ezr 4:8–6:18 is written in Aram.
  12. Ezra 4:9 Lit Then Rehum
  13. Ezra 4:9 Or ambassadors
  14. Ezra 4:9 Aram obscure
  15. Ezra 4:10 Lit Osnappar
  16. Ezra 4:13 Aram obscure
  17. Ezra 4:14 Lit have eaten the salt of the palace
  18. Ezra 4:18 Or been read clearly
  19. Ezra 4:22 Lit the kings
  20. Ezra 5:3 Or finish its furnishings
  21. Ezra 5:4 One Aram ms, LXX, Syr; MT reads Then we told them exactly what the names of the men were
  22. Ezra 5:5 Lit But the eye of their God was
  23. Ezra 5:8 Or huge
  24. Ezra 5:9 Or finish its furnishings
  25. Ezra 5:17 Lit treasure house
  26. Ezra 6:1 Lit Babylon where the treasures were stored
  27. Ezra 6:3 Lit be brought forth
  28. Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
  29. Ezra 6:3 Lit 60 cubits
  30. Ezra 6:3 A copyist seemingly overlooked the term for length and inadvertently read the 60 cubits for height and width. Like Solomon’s temple, this temple was probably 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high.
  31. Ezra 6:4 Or huge
  32. Ezra 6:5 Lit Jerusalem, to its place,
  33. Ezra 6:6 Lit their
  34. Ezra 6:12 Lit who stretches out its hand
  35. Ezra 6:15 = February–March
  36. Ezra 6:21 Lit land to them
  37. Ezra 6:22 Lit their hands
Listen to Ezra 4-6
Close NIV

Ezra 4-6
New International Version

Opposition to the Rebuilding

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building(A) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon(B) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”(C)

3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”(D)

4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.[a](E) 5 They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes,[b](F) they lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.(G)

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes(H) king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic script and in the Aramaic(I) language.[c][d]

8 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:

9 Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, together with the rest of their associates(J)—the judges, officials and administrators over the people from Persia, Uruk(K) and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,(L) 10 and the other people whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal(M) deported and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates.(N)

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

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

12 The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.(O)

13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty(P) will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.[e] 14 Now since we are under obligation to the palace and it is not proper for us to see the king dishonored, we are sending this message to inform the king, 15 so that a search may be made in the archives(Q) of your predecessors. In these records you will find that this city is a rebellious city, troublesome to kings and provinces, a place with a long history of sedition. That is why this city was destroyed.(R) 16 We inform the king that if this city is built and its walls are restored, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.

17 The king sent this reply:

To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary and the rest of their associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in Trans-Euphrates:(S)

Greetings.

18 The letter you sent us has been read and translated in my presence. 19 I issued an order and a search was made, and it was found that this city has a long history of revolt(T) against kings and has been a place of rebellion and sedition. 20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over the whole of Trans-Euphrates,(U) and taxes, tribute and duty were paid to them. 21 Now issue an order to these men to stop work, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order. 22 Be careful not to neglect this matter. Why let this threat grow, to the detriment of the royal interests?(V)

23 As soon as the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the secretary and their associates,(W) they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and compelled them by force to stop.

24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius(X) king of Persia.

Tattenai’s Letter to Darius

5 Now Haggai(Y) the prophet and Zechariah(Z) the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied(AA) to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel(AB) son of Shealtiel and Joshua(AC) son of Jozadak set to work(AD) to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

3 At that time Tattenai,(AE) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai(AF) and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”(AG) 4 They[f] also asked, “What are the names of those who are constructing this building?” 5 But the eye of their God(AH) was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 7 The report they sent him read as follows:

To King Darius:

Cordial greetings.

8 The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work(AI) is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

9 We questioned the elders and asked them, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”(AJ) 10 We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

11 This is the answer they gave us:

“We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple(AK) that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. 12 But because our ancestors angered(AL) the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.(AM)

13 “However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree(AN) to rebuild this house of God. 14 He even removed from the temple[g] of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple[h] in Babylon.(AO) Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar,(AP) whom he had appointed governor, 15 and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem. And rebuild the house of God on its site.’

16 “So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God(AQ) in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.”

17 Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives(AR) of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives(AS) stored in the treasury at Babylon. 2 A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

3 In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:

Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid.(AT) It is to be sixty cubits[i] high and sixty cubits wide, 4 with three courses(AU) of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.(AV) 5 Also, the gold(AW) and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.(AX)

6 Now then, Tattenai,(AY) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai(AZ) and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. 7 Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.

8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God:

Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury,(BA) from the revenues(BB) of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9 Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings(BC) to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10 so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.(BD)

11 Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled(BE) on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.(BF) 12 May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there,(BG) overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I Darius(BH) have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

13 Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates(BI) carried it out with diligence. 14 So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching(BJ) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,(BK) Darius(BL) and Artaxerxes,(BM) kings of Persia. 15 The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.(BN)

16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication(BO) of the house of God with joy. 17 For the dedication of this house of God they offered(BP) a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering[j] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they installed the priests in their divisions(BQ) and the Levites in their groups(BR) for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.(BS)

The Passover

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the exiles celebrated the Passover.(BT) 20 The priests and Levites had purified themselves and were all ceremonially clean. The Levites slaughtered(BU) the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their relatives the priests and for themselves. 21 So the Israelites who had returned from the exile ate it, together with all who had separated themselves(BV) from the unclean practices(BW) of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the Lord,(BX) the God of Israel. 22 For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread,(BY) because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude(BZ) of the king of Assyria so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:4 Or and troubled them as they built
  2. Ezra 4:6 Hebrew Ahasuerus
  3. Ezra 4:7 Or written in Aramaic and translated
  4. Ezra 4:7 The text of 4:8–6:18 is in Aramaic.
  5. Ezra 4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.
  6. Ezra 5:4 See Septuagint; Aramaic We.
  7. Ezra 5:14 Or palace
  8. Ezra 5:14 Or palace
  9. Ezra 6:3 That is, about 90 feet or about 27 meters
  10. Ezra 6:17 Or purification offering
Next
Ezra 3
Ezra 7
Next
dropdown
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV