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Ezra Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
Ezra
4:1 Now when the
adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the descendants of the captivity
were building the temple of the Lord God of Israel
YLT And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the
captivity are building a temple to Jehovah
God of Israel
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin
The Samaritans
as appears from ( Ezra
4:2 Ezra 4:10 )
heard that the children of the captivity;
the Jews
who had been in captivity seventy years
and were just come out of
it
and still were not quite free
but under the jurisdiction and control of
the king of Persia:
builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
that they were going about it
and had laid the foundation of it
which might
soon come to their ears
the distance not being very great. Josephus F3
says they heard the sound of the trumpets
and came to know the meaning of it.
FOOTNOTES:
F3 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4. sect. 3.
Ezra
4:2 they came to
Zerubbabel and the heads of the fathers’ houses
and said to them
“Let
us build with you
for we seek your God as you do; and we have
sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria
who brought us
here.”
YLT 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.'
Then they came to Zerubbabel
and the chief of the fathers
These they addressed
as knowing that if they could not prevail with them
they
could never succeed in their design; and these were no doubt the principal of
the Samaritans that applied:
and said unto them
let us build with you;
that is
the temple
they proposed to join with them
and assist them in it;
which proposal at first sight might seem very agreeable and welcome
and would
have been so had they been sincere
but they were not; they hoped
by getting
among them
to have sown discord among them
and disunited them; and so by
these or other means to have retarded the building; or if it went forward
that
they might have a claim to it as theirs
at least as to set up their own idols
in a part of it; the reasons they gave follow:
for we seek your God as ye do;
which was false
for they did not worship him alone
but with idols
nor in the
same manner as the Jews did:
and we do sacrifice unto him;
but even that could not recommend them to the Jews
since they ought not to
sacrifice
even to the Lord himself
but at Jerusalem: there is a various
reading here; the textual reading is
"we do not sacrifice"; that is
to idols; the marginal reading is
"we sacrifice to him"
which we
follow; Aben Ezra takes in both
perhaps most rightly; "we do not
sacrifice to any other
but to him"; which was also false:
since the days of Esarhaddon
king of Assur
who brought us up
hither;
to Samaria
from Babylon
and other places; see ( 2 Kings 17:24 ) .
Ezra
4:3 But Zerubbabel
and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel
said to them
“You may do nothing with us to build a house for our God; but we
alone will build to the Lord
God of Israel
as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
YLT 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.'
But Zerubbabel
and Joshua
and the rest of the chief of the
fathers
said unto them
The prince and high priest
and chief of the people:
you have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God;
being neither of the same nation
nor of the same religion:
but we ourselves together will build to the Lord God of Israel;
we and we only
who are together as one man
united in one body of people
and
in the same religious sentiments
being Israelites; we separately
without
admitting strangers among us
will build a temple to the God of Israel:
as King Cyrus
the king of Persia
hath commanded us;
thereby letting them know that they acted by his authority
and the commission
they had from him only concerned themselves
and not others.
Ezra
4:4 Then the people
of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in
building
YLT 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
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of
Judah
and troubled them in building.
By threatening them
or by dissuading the workmen from going on
by
endeavouring to hinder their having materials from the Tyrians and Zidonians
or money out of the king's revenues to bear the expenses as ordered; see ( Ezra
6:4 ) .
Ezra
4:5 and hired
counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king
of Persia
even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
YLT 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.
And hired counsellors against them
to frustrate their purpose
Either to advise and persuade the king of Persia's officers in those parts not
to supply them with money
or to influence the great men at his court to get
the edict revoked: and this they did
all the days of Cyrus king of Persia;
who
though the hearty friend and patron of the Jews
yet being engaged in wars
abroad with the Lydians and Scythians
and leaving his son as viceroy in his
absence
who was no friend unto them
the work went on but slowly
attended
with interruptions and discouragements:
even until the reign of Darius king of Persia;
who was Darius Hystaspis
between whom and Cyrus were Cambyses the son of
Cyrus
and Smerdis the impostor
who pretended to be Smerdis
the brother of
Cambyses; a space of about fifteen years.
Ezra
4:6 In the reign of
Ahasuerus
in the beginning of his reign
they wrote an accusation against the
inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
YLT And in the reign of
Ahasuerus
in the commencement of his reign
they have written an accusation
against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem;
And in the reign of Ahasuerus
in the beginning of his reign
According to Jarchi
this was Ahasuerus the husband of Esther; but
as most
think F4
was Cambyses
the son and successor of Cyrus; so Josephus F5;
who was an enemy to the Egyptians; and
fearing the Jews might take part with
them
was no friend to them; their enemies therefore took the advantage of the
death of Cyrus
and the first opportunity after Cambyses reigned in his own
right:
and wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of
Judah and Jerusalem;
full of hatred and enmity
spite and malice
charging them as a turbulent
disobedient
and rebellious people.
FOOTNOTES:
F4 Spanhem. Introduct. Chron. ad Hist. Eccl. p. 54. &
Universal History
Vol. 5. p. 203. Prideaux
p. 175.
F5 Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4.) sect. 4
6. Vid. R. David
Ganz. Tzemach David
par. 2. fol. 8. 2. So Dr. Lightfoot
Works
vol. 1. p.
139.
Ezra
4:7 In the days of
Artaxerxes also
Bishlam
Mithredath
Tabel
and the rest of their companions
wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in
Aramaic script
and translated into the Aramaic language.
YLT 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.
And in the days of Artaxerxes
The same with Ahasuerus
in the preceding verse; and who also is Cambyses
which is his name in Heathen authors
Artaxerxes being a common name to the
kings of Persia; though some F6
think this was Smerdis
the magician and impostor
who was between Cambyses and
Darius; but as he reigned but seven months
it is not very likely that he
should be wrote unto
and an answer received from him; besides he sent to every
nation he ruled over F7
and so to the Jews
and proclaimed to them freedom from tribute and the militia
for three years
to ingratiate himself to them:
wrote Bishlam
Mithredath
Tabeel
and the rest of their
companions;
or his company; for Jarchi thinks only one person is meant; that Mithredath
Tabeel is the name of one of the adversaries of Judah; and that Bishlam is an
appellative
and signifies that he wrote in peace
or in a way of salutation
and greeting; but they seem to be the names of governors in the cities of
Samaria under the king of Persia: these wrote
to Artaxerxes king of Persia;
instigated by the Samaritans:
and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue
and interpreted in the Syrian tongue;
or Chaldee
of which Ezra gives a copy in the Chaldee language; the meaning
either is
that it was written both in Syriac letters
and in the Syriac
language; for sometimes words are written in one language and in the character
of another
as the Syriac is sometimes written in
Hebrew characters
and the
Hebrew in Roman; or else there was a postscript added to this letter
explaining some things in it
which also was written in the same language: some
take F8
the word "nishtevan"
rendered "written"
to be the name of
a province on the borders of the country beyond Euphrates
whose figure and
characters were in high esteem
and fit to write in to kings; but the words and
language were Syrian
and needed interpretation.
FOOTNOTES:
F6 Prideaux's Connect. par. 1. p. 175. Authors of the Universal
History
vol. 5. p. 199
203. So Vitringa
Hypotypos. Hist. Sacr. p. 108.
F7 Herodot. Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 67. Justin. l. 1. c. 9.
F8 Praefat. Arugas Habbosem apud Buxtorf. de liter. Heb. add.
Ezra
4:8 Rehum[a] the
commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King
Artaxerxes in this fashion:
YLT Rehum counsellor
and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning
Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king
thus:
Rehum the chancellor
and Shimshai the scribe
wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort.
This means the same letter as before; which
according to Jarchi
was sent in
the name of Mithredath Tabeel and his company
was endited by Rehum
master of
words or sense
and written by Shimshai the scribe
whom he makes to be a son
of Haman F9;
but it was written rather in all their names.
FOOTNOTES:
F9 So Midrash Esther
fol. 85. 3.
Ezra
4:9 From[b] Rehum the
commander
Shimshai the scribe
and the rest of their companions—representatives
of the Dinaites
the Apharsathchites
the Tarpelites
the people of Persia and
Erech and Babylon and Shushan
[c] the
Dehavites
the Elamites
YLT Then Rehum counsellor
and Shimshai scribe
and the rest of their
companions
Dinaites
and Apharsathchites
Tarpelites
Apharsites
Archevites
Babylonians
Susanchites
(who are Elamites)
Then wrote Rehum the chancellor
and Shimshai the scribe
and the
rest of their companions
who all signed the letter; namely
the governors of the following nations;
the Dinaites
the Apharsathchites
the Tarpelites
the Apharsites
the Archevites
the Babylonians
the Susanchites
the Dehavites
and the
Elamites;
which were colonies from several parts of Chaldea
Media
and Persia
and were
settled in the several cities of Samaria
as several of their names plainly
show
as from Persia
Erech
Babylon
Shushan
and Elimais; some account for
them all
but with uncertainty; according to R. Jose F11
these were the Samaritans who first were sent out of five nations
to whom the
king of Assyria added four more
which together make the nine here mentioned
see ( 2 Kings 17:24 ) .
FOOTNOTES:
F11 Pirke Eliezer
c. 38.
Ezra
4:10 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 the River[d] —and so
forth.[e]
YLT 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:
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar
brought over
The river Euphrates:
and set in the cities of Samaria;
placed there in the room of the Israelites carried captive; this Asnappar was
according to Jarchi and others F12
Sennacherib; but
with Grotius
Shalmaneser; rather he was Esarhaddon
the son
of the former
and grandson of the latter; so Dr. Prideaux F13;
though he might be only some commander of the Assyrian monarch
who carried
them over by his orders:
and the rest that are on this side the river;
the river Euphrates:
and at such a time;
which may respect the date of the letter
which
no doubt
was expressed
though not here given; or this
as some think
was the same with our &c. something
following
unto King Artaxerxes greeting
or something like that; though David
de Pomis F14
takes it to be the general name of the people beyond the river.
FOOTNOTES:
F12 Kimchi Sepher Shorash. fol. 166. 2. & Vajikra Rabba in ib. T. Bab.
Sanhedrin
fol. 94. 1.
F13 Connexion vol. 1. p. 30.
F14 Tzemach David
fol. 63. 3.
Ezra
4:11 (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
and so forth:[f]
YLT 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;
This is the copy of the letter they sent unto him
even unto
Artaxerxes the king
Which Ezra brought with him from Babylon
and is contained in the five following
verses:
thy servants the men on this side the river
and at such a time;
this was the inscription of the letter
or the beginning of it.
Ezra
4:12 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 rebellious and evil city
and are finishing its
walls and repairing the foundations.
YLT 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.
Be it known unto the king
The intent of this letter was
that it might be known to the king what follows:
that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto
Jerusalem;
this they observe partly out of contempt of the Jews
having been lately
captive in Babylon
and partly to insinuate what ingratitude they were guilty
of; that having got their liberty
and come to Jerusalem
they made use of it
to the king's detriment:
building the rebellious and the bad city;
as they suggest it had been to kings
even his predecessors
in former times
(
Ezra 4:15 )
and have set up the walls thereof
and joined the foundations;
which was a falsehood; for the most they had done was setting up the walls of
their houses in Jerusalem
and laying the foundation of the temple; as for the
walls of the city
they had not as yet done anything unto them.
Ezra
4:13 Let it now be
known to the king that
if this city is built and the walls completed
they
will not pay tax
tribute
or custom
and the king’s treasury will be
diminished.
YLT `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.
Be it known now unto the king
And let it be seriously and thoroughly considered by him and his counsellors:
that if this city be builded
and its walls set up again
then
will they not pay toll
tribute
and custom;
being able to defend themselves against the king's forces
sent to reduce them
to their obedience; these three words take in all sorts of taxes and levies on
persons
goods
and merchandise:
and so thou shall endamage the revenue of the kings;
not only his own
but his successors'; this they thought would be a very striking and
powerful argument with him.
Ezra
4:14 Now because we
receive support from the palace
it was not proper for us to see the king’s
dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king
YLT 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;
Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace
Have posts under the king
to which salaries were annexed
by which they were
supported
and which they had from the king's exchequer; or "salt" F15
as in the original
some places of honour and trust formerly being paid in
salt; hence
as Pliny F16
observes
such honours and rewards were called "salaries":
and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour;
to see any thing done injurious to his crown and dignity
to his honour and
revenues
when we are supported by him; this would be ungrateful as well as
unjust:
therefore have we sent and certified the king;
of the truth of what is before related; and
for the further confirmation of
it
refer him to the ancient records of the kingdom
as follows.
FOOTNOTES:
F15 (xlm) "salem vel
sale"
Montanus
Vatablus
Michaelis.
F16 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7.
Ezra
4:15 that search may
be made in the book of the records of your fathers. And you will find in the
book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city
harmful to kings and provinces
and that they have incited sedition within the
city in former times
for which cause this city was destroyed.
YLT 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.
That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers
That is
his predecessors in the Babylonian monarchy; though
as the Medes and
Persians were included in that
and joined the Babylonians in their wars with
others
and particularly with the Jews
the records of the Medes and Persians
might also be applied to:
so shalt thou find in the book of the records
and know that this
city is a rebellious city
and hurtful unto kings and provinces
and that they
have moved sedition within the same of old time;
against the king of Babylon
particularly in the times of Jehoiakim and
Zedekiah:
for which cause was this city destroyed;
as it was by Nebuchadnezzar; see ( 2 Kings 24:1 2 Kings 24:20 ) ( 2 Kings 25:1 2 Kings 25:9 ) .
Ezra
4:16 We inform the
king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed
the result will
be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.
YLT 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.'
We certify the king
that if this city be builded again
and the
walls thereof set up
As it formerly was
and now attempted
as they suggest:
by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river;
the river Euphrates; intimating that the Jews would not only shake off his
yoke
and refuse to pay tribute themselves
but would seize on all his dominions
on that side the river
and annex them to their own.
Ezra
4:17 The king sent
an answer: To Rehum the commander
to Shimshai the scribe
to the
rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria
and to the remainder
beyond the River: Peace
and so forth.[g]
YLT 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:
Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor
and to
Shimshai the scribe
This affair
upon examination
being found to be of importance
the king of
Persia thought fit to send an answer to the above letter
which was doing them
an honour
and gave them the power and authority they wished to have:
and to the rest of their companions that dwelt in Samaria;
in the kingdom
province
and cities of Samaria:
and unto the rest beyond the river;
the river Euphrates
the rest of the nations before mentioned
( Ezra
4:9 Ezra 4:10 ) .
Peace
and at such a time:
that is
all health and prosperity
Ezra
4:18 The letter
which you sent to us has been clearly read before me.
YLT The letter that ye sent unto us
explained
hath been read before
me
The letter which ye sent unto us
The plural number is used
being now become courtly for kings thus to speak of
themselves:
hath been plainly before me;
by such that understood both the Syrian and Persian languages; the letter was
written in the Syrian language
and the king being a Persian
it was necessary
it should be interpreted and explained to him.
Ezra
4:19 And I gave the
command
and a search has been made
and it was found that this city in former
times has revolted against kings
and rebellion and sedition have been fostered
in it.
YLT 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
And I commanded
and search hath been made
In the records of his predecessors
whether Chaldeans or Persians:
and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection
against kings
and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein:
and yet this could not be carried higher than to the times of Zedekiah and
Jehoiakim
as before observed
which was not one hundred years ago
unless the
rebellion of Hezekiah against the king of Assyria could be thought to be in
these records
( 2 Kings 18:7 )
and yet from hence it is
concluded as if in ages past they had been guilty of rebellion and sedition
and even always.
Ezra
4:20 There have also
been mighty kings over Jerusalem
who have ruled over all the region
beyond the River; and tax
tribute
and custom were paid to them.
YLT and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem
even rulers over all
beyond the river
and toll
tribute
and custom is given to them.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem
which have ruled
over all countries beyond the river
As David and Solomon; and the account of these they had in their records
see (
2 Samuel 8:1 ) ( 1 Kings 4:21 1 Kings 4:24 )
and toll
tribute
and custom
was paid unto them;
as appears from the places referred to; and this served to strengthen the
insinuation made to the king
that if these people were suffered to go on
building
he would lose his tribute and taxes in those parts.
Ezra
4:21 Now give the
command to make these men cease
that this city may not be built until the
command is given by me.
YLT `Now
make ye a decree to cause these men to cease
and this city
is not builded
till by me a decree is made.
Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease
From building:
and that this city be not builded until another commandment shall
be given from me;
he might suspect that this case
in all its circumstances
was not truly
stated
and that hereafter he might see reason to recede from the present
orders he gave; and the rather
as by searching
and perhaps on his own
knowledge
must have observed
that his father Cyrus had shown favour to the
Jews
and had not only set them at liberty
but had encouraged them to rebuild
their temple; which might be what they were about
and was the case
and
nothing else
except their houses to dwell in.
Ezra
4:22 Take heed now
that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the
kings?
YLT And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt
become great to the loss of the kings?'
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this
To put his orders into execution
and at once
without any loss of time
oblige
the Jews to desist from rebuilding the walls of their city
which he was told
they were doing
though a great falsehood:
why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
of him and his successors
to be deprived of their toll
tribute
and customs
and to have insurrections
mutinies
and rebellions
in the dominions belonging
to them.
Ezra
4:23 Now when the
copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum
Shimshai the
scribe
and their companions
they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the
Jews
and by force of arms made them cease.
YLT 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;
Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes letter was read before Rehum
and Shimshai the scribe
and their companions
By him or them to whom it was particularly directed:
they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews;
not only in obedience to the king's command
but from an eagerness of spirit to
put a stop to the proceedings of the Jews
to whom they had an aversion
instigated by the Samaritans:
and made them to cease by force and power;
from going on with the building of the temple
which they reckoned a part of
the city
and within their commission; this they did by showing the power and
authority they had under the king's hand
and by the forces they brought with
them to compel them to it
should they refuse to obey; or
however
they
threatened them highly what they would do
if they did not desist.
Ezra
4:24 Thus the work
of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased
and it was
discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
YLT 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.
Then ceased the work of the house of God
which is at Jerusalem
How far they had proceeded is not said
whether any further than laying the
foundation of it; though probably
by this time
it might be carried to some
little height; however
upon this it was discontinued:
so it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of
Persia;
not Darius Nothun
as some think
for from the first of Cyrus to the sixth of
his reign
when the temple was finished
was upwards of one hundred years; yea
according to some
about one hundred and forty; which would carry the age of
Zerubbabel
who both laid the foundation of the temple
and finished it
and the
age of those who saw the first temple
to a length that is not probable; but
this was Darius Hystaspis
who succeeded Cambyses the son of Cyrus
there being
only
between
the short usurpation of Smerdis for seven months.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
NKJV Footnotes:
a.
Ezra 4:8 The
original language of Ezra 4:8 through 6:18 is Aramaic.
b.
Ezra 4:9 Literally Then
c.Ezra 4:9 Or Susa
d.
Ezra 4:10 That is
the Euphrates
e.
Ezra 4:10
Literally and now
f.
Ezra 4:11
Literally and now
g.
Ezra 4:17
Literally and now