4 Then athe people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. They troubled them in building,
5 and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of aDarius king of Persia.
Rebuilding of Jerusalem Opposed
6 In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 In the days of aArtaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in bAramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language.
8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes in this fashion:
9 From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions—representatives of athe Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the people of Persia and Erech and Babylon and Shushan, the Dehavites, the Elamites,
10aand the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnapper took captive and settled in the cities of Samaria and the remainder beyond1 the River —band so forth.
11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent him) To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men oftheregion beyond the River,1 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 arebellious and evil city, and are finishing itsbwalls 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 atax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.
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,
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.
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.
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,1 and so forth.
18 The letter which you sent to us has been clearly read before me.
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