3 But|strong="H3588" Zerubbabel|strong="H2216", Jeshua|strong="H3442", and|strong="H3068" the|strong="H0559" other|strong="H3162" family|strong="H1004" leaders|strong="H7218" of|strong="H4428" Israel|strong="H3478" answered|strong="H0559", “No|strong="H3808", you|strong="H0834" people|strong="H0834" cannot|strong="H3808" help us|strong="H3588" build|strong="H1129" a|strong="H3588" temple|strong="H1004" for|strong="H3588" our|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430". Only we|strong="H0587" can|strong="H0834" build|strong="H1129" the|strong="H0559" Temple|strong="H1004" for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H0559" LORD|strong="H3068". He|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0559" God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H4428" Israel|strong="H3478". This|strong="H3588" is|strong="H0834" what|strong="H0834" King|strong="H4428" Cyrus|strong="H3566" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" commanded|strong="H6680" us|strong="H3588" to|strong="H0559" do|strong="H6680".”
4 So|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" enemies began|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" discourage them|strong="H0853" and|strong="H3063" tried to|strong="H1961" frighten them|strong="H0853" in|strong="H0776" order|strong="H3027" to|strong="H1961" stop them|strong="H0853" from|strong="H3027" building|strong="H1129" the|strong="H0853" Temple.
5 These|strong="H3605" enemies hired|strong="H7936" government officials to|strong="H5704" work against|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" people of|strong="H4428" Judah. The|strong="H3605" officials constantly|strong="H3117" did|strong="H3117" things|strong="H3605" to|strong="H5704" stop the|strong="H3605" Jews’ plans|strong="H6098" to|strong="H5704" build the|strong="H3605" Temple. This|strong="H3117" continued the|strong="H3605" whole|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3605" Cyrus|strong="H3566" was|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" until|strong="H5704" Darius|strong="H1867" became the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539".
6 These enemies|strong="H3389" even|strong="H5921" wrote|strong="H3789" letters to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" king|strong="H5921" of|strong="H3427" Persia trying to|strong="H5921" stop the|strong="H5921" Jews|strong="H3063". They|strong="H5921" wrote|strong="H3789" a|strong="H5921" letter the|strong="H5921" year that|strong="H3389" Xerxes became the|strong="H5921" king|strong="H5921" of|strong="H3427" Persia.
7 Later, when|strong="H3117" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" became the|strong="H5921" new king|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539", some|strong="H3117" of|strong="H4428" these men wrote|strong="H3789" another letter|strong="H3791" complaining about|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" Jews. The|strong="H5921" men who|strong="H4428" wrote|strong="H3789" the|strong="H5921" letter|strong="H3791" were|strong="H3117" Bishlam|strong="H1312", Mithredath|strong="H4990", Tabeel|strong="H2870", and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H5921" other people in|strong="H5921" their|strong="H5921" group. The|strong="H5921" letter|strong="H3791" was|strong="H4428" written|strong="H3789" in|strong="H5921" Aramaic|strong="H0762" and|strong="H4428" translated|strong="H8638".
8 Then|strong="H4430" Rehum|strong="H7348" the|strong="H5922" commanding officer and|strong="H4430" Shimshai|strong="H8124" the|strong="H5922" secretary wrote|strong="H3790" a|strong="H2298" letter|strong="H0104" against|strong="H5922" the|strong="H5922" people of|strong="H4430" Jerusalem|strong="H3390". They|strong="H3660" wrote|strong="H3790" the|strong="H5922" letter|strong="H0104" to|strong="H5922" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" the|strong="H5922" king|strong="H4430". This is|strong="H2942" what they|strong="H3660" wrote|strong="H3790":
9 From|strong="H1768" Rehum|strong="H7348" the|strong="H0116" commanding officer and|strong="H0116" Shimshai|strong="H8124" the|strong="H0116" secretary, and|strong="H0116" from|strong="H1768" the|strong="H0116" judges and|strong="H0116" important officials|strong="H2967" over the|strong="H0116" men|strong="H0756" from|strong="H1768" Tripolis, Persia, Erech|strong="H0756", and|strong="H0116" Babylon, and|strong="H0116" from|strong="H1768" the|strong="H0116" Elamites|strong="H5962" from|strong="H1768" Susa|strong="H7801",
10 and|strong="H0524" from|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5675" other people who|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5675" great|strong="H7229" and|strong="H0524" powerful Ashurbanipal|strong="H0620" moved to|strong="H1541" the|strong="H5675" city|strong="H7149" of|strong="H5103" Samaria|strong="H8115" and|strong="H0524" other places in|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5675" country west of|strong="H5103" the|strong="H5675" Euphrates River|strong="H5103".
11 This|strong="H1836" is|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5675" copy|strong="H6573" of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H5675" letter|strong="H0104" sent|strong="H7972" to|strong="H5922" King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783":
12 King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes, we|strong="H1768" wish to|strong="H5922" inform|strong="H3046" you|strong="H1768" that|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5922" Jews|strong="H3062" you|strong="H1768" sent from|strong="H4481" there|strong="H1768" are|strong="H1768" now|strong="H4430" in|strong="H5922" Jerusalem|strong="H3390". They|strong="H1768" are|strong="H1768" trying to|strong="H5922" rebuild|strong="H1124" that|strong="H1768" terrible city|strong="H7149". The|strong="H5922" people there|strong="H1768" have|strong="H4430" always rebelled against|strong="H5922" other kings|strong="H4430". Now|strong="H4430" they|strong="H1768" have|strong="H4430" almost finished|strong="H3635" repairing|strong="H2338" the|strong="H5922" foundations|strong="H0787" and|strong="H4430" building|strong="H1124" the|strong="H5922" walls|strong="H7792".
13 Also, King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes, you|strong="H1768" should|strong="H4430" know|strong="H3046" that|strong="H1768" if|strong="H2006" Jerusalem and|strong="H4430" its|strong="H3046" walls|strong="H7792" are|strong="H1768" rebuilt|strong="H1124", the|strong="H1768" people of|strong="H4430" Jerusalem will|strong="H1768" stop paying their taxes|strong="H4061". They|strong="H1768" will|strong="H1768" stop sending money to|strong="H3046" honor you|strong="H1768". They|strong="H1768" also will|strong="H1768" stop paying customs fees, and|strong="H4430" the|strong="H1768" king|strong="H4430" will|strong="H1768" lose all that|strong="H1768" money.
14 We|strong="H1768" have|strong="H4430" a|strong="H2370" responsibility to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430". We|strong="H1768" don’t want to|strong="H5922" see|strong="H2370" this|strong="H1836" happen, so|strong="H1768" we|strong="H1768" are|strong="H1768" sending this|strong="H1836" letter to|strong="H5922" inform|strong="H3046" the|strong="H3606" king|strong="H4430".
15 King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes, we|strong="H1768" suggest that|strong="H1768" you|strong="H1768" search|strong="H1240" the|strong="H5922" writings of|strong="H4481" the|strong="H5922" kings|strong="H4430" who|strong="H1768" ruled before you|strong="H1768". You|strong="H1768" will|strong="H1768" see in|strong="H5922" the|strong="H5922" writings that|strong="H1768" Jerusalem always rebelled against|strong="H5922" other kings|strong="H4430". It|strong="H5922" has|strong="H1768" caused much trouble for|strong="H1768" other kings|strong="H4430" and|strong="H4430" nations. Many rebellions have|strong="H4430" started in|strong="H5922" this|strong="H1836" city|strong="H7149" since|strong="H1768" ancient times. That|strong="H1768" is|strong="H1768" why Jerusalem was|strong="H4430" destroyed.
16 King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes, we|strong="H0586" wish to|strong="H3046" inform|strong="H3046" you|strong="H1768" that|strong="H1768" if|strong="H2006" this|strong="H1836" city|strong="H7149" and|strong="H4430" its|strong="H3046" walls|strong="H7792" are|strong="H1768" rebuilt|strong="H1124", you|strong="H1768" will|strong="H1768" lose control of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H5675" area west of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H5675" Euphrates River|strong="H5103".
17 Then|strong="H4430" King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes sent|strong="H7972" this answer|strong="H6600":
18 The|strong="H5922" letter you|strong="H1768" sent|strong="H7972" us has|strong="H1768" been translated|strong="H6568" and|strong="H1768" read|strong="H7123" to|strong="H5922" me|strong="H6925".
19 I|strong="H4481" gave|strong="H7761" an|strong="H5648" order for|strong="H1768" the|strong="H5922" writings of|strong="H4481" the|strong="H5922" kings|strong="H4430" before me to|strong="H5922" be|strong="H1240" searched. The|strong="H5922" writings were|strong="H1768" read, and|strong="H4430" we|strong="H1768" found|strong="H7912" out|strong="H5648" that|strong="H1768" Jerusalem has|strong="H1768" a|strong="H7761" long|strong="H5957" history of|strong="H4481" rebellion|strong="H4776" against|strong="H5922" kings|strong="H4430". Jerusalem has|strong="H1768" been a|strong="H7761" place where|strong="H1768" rebellion|strong="H4776" and|strong="H4430" revolt|strong="H0849" has|strong="H1768" happened often.
20 Jerusalem|strong="H3390" has|strong="H4430" had|strong="H4430" powerful|strong="H8624" kings|strong="H4430" ruling over|strong="H5922" it|strong="H5922" and|strong="H4430" over|strong="H5922" the|strong="H3606" whole|strong="H3606" area west of|strong="H4430" the|strong="H3606" Euphrates River|strong="H5103". Their|strong="H3606" kings|strong="H4430" received taxes|strong="H4061", customs, fees, and|strong="H4430" tribute|strong="H4061".
21 Now|strong="H3705", you must give|strong="H7761" an order for|strong="H5705" these|strong="H0479" men|strong="H1400" to|strong="H2942" stop|strong="H0989" work. That|strong="H2942" order must be|strong="H3705" given to|strong="H2942" keep Jerusalem from|strong="H4481" being rebuilt|strong="H1124" until|strong="H5705" I|strong="H4481" say so|strong="H4481".
22 Be|strong="H1934" careful not to|strong="H5922" overlook this|strong="H1836" matter. We should|strong="H4101" not let the|strong="H5922" building of|strong="H4430" Jerusalem continue. If that|strong="H4430" work continues, I|strong="H1836" will|strong="H4101" not get any more|strong="H5922" money from Jerusalem.
23 So|strong="H0116" a|strong="H0116" copy|strong="H6573" of|strong="H4481" the|strong="H0116" letter that|strong="H1768" King|strong="H4430" Artaxerxes|strong="H0783" sent was|strong="H4430" read|strong="H7123" to|strong="H5922" Rehum|strong="H7348", Shimshai|strong="H8124" the|strong="H0116" secretary, and|strong="H4430" the|strong="H0116" people with|strong="H5922" them|strong="H1994". They|strong="H0116" went|strong="H0236" very quickly to|strong="H5922" the|strong="H0116" Jews|strong="H3062" in|strong="H0236" Jerusalem|strong="H3390" and|strong="H4430" forced them|strong="H1994" to|strong="H5922" stop|strong="H0989" building.
24 So|strong="H0116" the|strong="H0116" work|strong="H5673" stopped|strong="H0989" on|strong="H5705" God’s Temple|strong="H1005" in|strong="H0426" Jerusalem|strong="H3390". The|strong="H0116" work|strong="H5673" did not continue until|strong="H5705" the|strong="H0116" second|strong="H8648" year|strong="H8140" that|strong="H1768" Darius|strong="H1868" was|strong="H1934" king|strong="H4430" of|strong="H0426" Persia|strong="H6540".