1 N ow when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles from the captivity were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel,

And the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to Jehovah the God of Israel;

2 T hey came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the fathers’ houses and said, Let us build with you, for we seek and worship your God as you do, and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.

and they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief fathers, and said to them, We would build with you; for we seek your God, as ye; and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

3 B ut Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel said to them, You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief fathers of Israel said to them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel, as king Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.

4 T hen the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled and terrified them in building

And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building;

5 A nd hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose and plans all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

and they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 A nd in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 L ater, in the days of King Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in the Syrian or Aramaic script and interpreted in that language.

And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and interpreted in Aramaic.

8 R ehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king of this sort—

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king after this sort:

9 T hen wrote Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

10 A nd the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria and the rest of the country beyond the Euphrates River, and so forth.

and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest on this side the river, and so forth.

11 T his is a copy of the letter which they sent to King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men beyond the River, and so forth.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

12 B e it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have come to Jerusalem. This rebellious and bad city they are rebuilding, and have restored its walls and repaired the foundations.

Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from thee unto us have come to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and they complete the walls and join up the foundations.

13 B e it known now to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, then they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be diminished.

Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.

14 N ow because we eat the salt of the king’s palace and it is not proper for us to witness the king’s discredit, therefore we send to inform the king,

Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

15 I n order that a search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers, in which you will learn that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it of old. That is why was laid waste.

that search may be made in the book of the annals of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the annals and know that this city is a rebellious city, which has done damage to kings and provinces, and that they have raised sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed.

16 W e declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, it will mean that you will have no portion on this side of the River.

We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

17 T hen the king sent an answer: To Rehum the official, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Greetings.

The king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and the other places beyond the river: Peace, and so forth.

18 T he letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

The letter that ye sent to us has been read before me distinctly.

19 I commanded and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.

And I gave orders, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city of old time has made insurrection against the kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been raised therein.

20 T here have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem who have ruled over all countries beyond the River, and tribute, custom, and toll were paid to them.

And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.

21 T herefore give a decree to make these men stop, that this city not be rebuilt, until a command is given by me.

Now give order to make these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until the order shall be given from me;

22 B e sure that you do this. Why should damage grow, to the hurt of the kings?

and take heed that ye fail not to do this: why should harm grow to the damage of the kings?

23 W hen the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and by force and power made them cease.

As soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them cease by force and power.

24 T hen the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped. It stopped until the second year of Darius king of Persia.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.