1 Y OYENDO los enemigos de Judá y de Benjamín, que los venidos de la cautividad edificaban el templo de Jehová Dios de Israel,

Now those who hated Judah and Benjamin heard that the people had returned from Babylon and were building a house of worship to the Lord God of Israel.

2 L legáronse á Zorobabel, y á los cabezas de los padres, y dijéronles: Edificaremos con vosotros, porque como vosotros buscaremos á vuestro Dios, y á él sacrificamos desde los días de Esar-haddón rey de Asiria, que nos hizo subir aquí.

They came to Zerubbabel and the heads of the family groups and said to them, “Let us build with you. For we worship your God as you do. We have been giving gifts to Him since the days of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 Y dijóles Zorobabel, y Jesuá, y los demás cabezas de los padres de Israel: No nos conviene edificar con vosotros casa á nuestro Dios, sino que nosotros solos la edificaremos á Jehová Dios de Israel, como nos mandó el rey Ciro, rey de Persia.

But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of the family groups of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God. But we alone will build to the Lord God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has told us to do.”

4 M as el pueblo de la tierra debilitaba las manos del pueblo de Judá, y los arredraban de edificar.

Then the people of the land made the hearts of the people of Judah weak, and made them afraid to go on building.

5 C ohecharon además contra ellos consejeros para disipar su consejo, todo el tiempo de Ciro rey de Persia, y hasta el reinado de Darío rey de Persia.

They paid people to speak against them and to make trouble in their plans all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the rule of King Darius of Persia. People of the Land Do Not Want Jerusalem Built Up Again

6 Y en el reinado de Assuero, en el principio de su reinado, escribieron acusaciones contra los moradores de Judá y de Jerusalem.

In the beginning of Ahasuerus’ rule, people of the land wrote that the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem had done something wrong.

7 Y en días de Artajerjes, Bislam, Mitrídates, Tabeel, y los demás sus compañeros, escribieron á Artajerjes rey de Persia; y la escritura de la carta estaba hecha en siriaco, y declarada en siriaco.

During Artaxerxes’ rule, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of their friends wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. The letter was written in the Aramaic language.

8 R ehum canciller, y Simsai secretario, escribieron una carta contra Jerusalem al rey Artajerjes, como se sigue.

Rehum the captain and Shimshai the writer wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes.

9 E ntonces Rehum canciller, y Simsai secretario, y los demás sus compañeros, los Dineos, y los Apharsathachêos, Thepharleos, Apharseos, los Erchûeos, los Babilonios, Susaschêos, Dieveos, y Elamitas;

It was written by Rehum the captain and Shimshai the writer and the rest of their friends, the judges, the leaders and important men, the men of Erech, Babylon, Shusha (that is, the Elamites),

10 Y los demás pueblos que el grande y glorioso Asnappar trasportó, é hizo habitar en las ciudades de Samaria, y los demás de la otra parte del río, etcétera, escribieron.

and the rest of the nations. The people of these nations were sent away by the great and honored Osnappar, and made their home in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the land on the other side of the Euphrates River. Now

11 E ste es el traslado de la carta que enviaron: Al rey Artajerjes: Tus siervos de otra la parte del río, etcétera.

this is what they said in their letter to him: “To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men in the land on the other side of the River,

12 S ea notorio al rey, que los Judíos que subieron de tí á nosotros, vinieron á Jerusalem; y edifican la ciudad rebelde y mala, y han erigido los muros; y compuesto los fundamentos.

let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to Jerusalem. They are building again the sinful city that is not willing to be ruled. They are finishing the walls and beginning the work on the buildings.

13 A hora, notorio sea al rey, que si aquella ciudad fuere reedificada, y los muros fueren establecidos, el tributo, pecho, y rentas no darán, y el catastro de lo reyes será menoscabado.

Now let it be known to the king that, if that city is built again and the walls are finished, they will not pay what should be paid to the king. The taxes paid to the king will be less.

14 Y a pues que estamos mantenidos de palacio, no nos es justo ver el menosprecio del rey: hemos enviado por tanto, y hécho lo saber al rey,

We are under the care of the king, and it is not right for us to see the king not being honored. So we have sent to let the king know.

15 P ara que busque en el libro de las historias de nuestros padres; y hallarás en el libro de las historias, y sabrás que esta ciudad es ciudad rebelde, y perjudicial á los reyes y á las provincias, y que de tiempo antiguo forman en medio de ella rebeliones; por lo que esta ciudad fué destruída.

Look through the books kept by your fathers. You will find from these books that Jerusalem is not willing to be ruled, and that it is a danger to kings and lands. They have turned against kings in past times, and this is why that city was laid waste.

16 H acemos saber al rey, que si esta ciudad fuere edificada, y erigidos sus muros, la parte allá del río no será tuya.

We are letting the king know that, if that city is built again and the walls are finished, you will own nothing in the land on the other side of the River.”

17 E l rey envió esta respuesta á Rehum canciller, y á Simsai secretario, y á los demás sus compañeros que habitan en Samaria, y á los demás de la parte allá del río: Paz, etc.

The king sent an answer to Rehum the captain, Shimshai the writer, and to the rest of their friends who live in Samaria and in the rest of the land on the other side of the River. He wrote: “Peace.

18 L a carta que nos enviasteis claramente fué leída delante de mí.

The letter you sent to us has been put into our language and read to me.

19 Y por mí fué dado mandamiento, y buscaron; y hallaron que aquella ciudad de tiempo antiguo se levanta contra los reyes, y se rebela, y se forma en ella sedición:

I have had men look through the books. And it has been found that the city has turned against kings in past times, and that plans against kings have been made in it.

20 Y que reyes fuertes hubo en Jerusalem, quienes señorearon en todo lo que está á la parte allá del río; y que tributo, y pecho, y rentas se les daba.

Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the lands on the other side of the River, and taxes were paid to them.

21 A hora pues dad orden que cesen aquellos hombres, y no sea esa ciudad edificada, hasta que por mí sea dado mandamiento.

So give word to these men to make them stop the work. This city may not be built again until I allow it.

22 Y mirad bien que no hagáis error en esto: ¿por qué habrá de crecer el daño para perjuicio de los reyes?

Be sure that you do this. Why should more trouble be given to the kings?”

23 E ntonces, cuando el traslado de la carta del rey Artajerjes fué leído delante de Rehum, y de Simsai secretario, y sus compañeros, fueron prestamente á Jerusalem á los Judíos, é hiciéronles cesar con poder y fuerza.

When the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum and Shimshai the writer and their friends, they went in a hurry to the Jews at Jerusalem and with their power made them stop.

24 C esó entonces la obra de la casa de Dios, la cual estaba en Jerusalem: y cesó hasta el año segundo del reinado de Darío rey de Persia.

Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped. It was stopped until the second year of the rule of Darius king of Persia.