Adversaries Hinder the Work 1 UST The enemies of{ the people of the tribes of} Judah and Benjamin learned that the Israelites who had returned from Babylon were rebuilding the temple for Yahweh, the God whom the people of Israel worship. BSB BSB: When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
2 UST So they approached Zerubbabel the governor and the other clan leaders and{ deceptively} said to them,“We want to help you to build the temple. After all, we also worship your God. We have been offering sacrifices to him since the time that Esarhaddon, the king of Assyria, brought us here.” BSB BSB: they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
3 UST But Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the other Jewish clan leaders replied,“We will not allow you to help us build a temple for our God. No, we alone will build it for Yahweh, the God whom Israel worships, because that is what King Cyrus of Persia told us to do.” BSB BSB: But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
4 UST Then the people who had been living in that land{ before the Israelites returned there} started doing things to make the Jews discouraged and afraid to continue building{ the temple}. BSB BSB: Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
5 UST They bribed government officials to prevent the Jews from fulfilling their plans{ to rebuild the temple and the city}. They did that all during the time that Cyrus was king of Persia, and continued to do it during{ the time of the kings after him, including} the time when Darius was king of Persia. BSB BSB: They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes 6 UST These enemies of the Jews continued to accuse them during the time that{ Darius’ son} Ahasuerus was king. When Ahasuerus became king, they wrote a letter to him in which they accused the people living in the province of Judah and the city of Jerusalem{ of planning to rebel against the government}. BSB BSB: At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 UST Then again during the time of Artaxerxes,{ who was the next} king of Persia, the enemies of the Jews wrote a letter to him. Some men named Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel were the leaders of this group. They had someone write the letter for them in the Aramaic language, using the Aramaic alphabet. BSB BSB: And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.
8 UST Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, agreed that they could write the letter to King Artaxerxes{ with their authority} to protest about what was happening in Jerusalem. This is what they wrote: BSB BSB: Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
9 UST From Rehum the high commissioner, Shimshai the provincial secretary, and others with us who are judges and other government officials{. We represent the people} from{ the areas of} Persia, Erech, Babylon, and Susa in the district of Elam, BSB BSB: From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
10 UST as well as the other people groups whom the great and glorious Ashurbanipal had deported and sent to live in cities in Samaria and in the rest of the province west of the{ Euphrates} River. Therefore: BSB BSB: and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.
11 UST (This is what they wrote in the letter that they sent to him:) This letter is for King Artaxerxes. It comes from the officials serving you who live in the province west of the Euphrates River. Therefore: BSB BSB: (This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
12 UST “Your Majesty, we want you to know that the Jews who left from your territories are now living near us. They are rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. These people are wicked and want to rebel against you. Therefore, they are now rebuilding the walls{ of that city} and repairing the foundations{ of its buildings}. BSB BSB: Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring its walls and repairing its foundations.
13 UST It is important for you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, they will stop paying any taxes. As a result, there will be less money in your treasury. BSB BSB: Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
14 UST So, because we are loyal to you, and because we do not want anyone to humiliate you, for these reasons we are sending this information to you. BSB BSB: Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king
15 UST We suggest that you{ order your officials to} search among the records that your predecessors kept.{ If you do that,} you will find out that the people in this city have always rebelled against their rulers. You will find out that these people have withheld taxes from kings and from rulers of provinces. You will find out that from long ago the leaders of this city have started rebellions. That is the reason why{ the Babylonian army} destroyed this city. BSB BSB: that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
16 UST We want you to know that if they rebuild this city and finish building its walls, then you will no longer be able to control{ any of the people in} this province west of the{ Euphrates} River.” BSB BSB: We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
The Decree of Artaxerxes 17 UST { After} the king{ read this letter, he} sent this reply to them:“To you, Rehum, the high commissioner, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and your colleagues in Samaria and in other parts of the province that is west of the{ Euphrates} River, I send my greetings. Therefore: BSB BSB: Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
18 UST My officials carefully read out loud to me the letter that you sent to us. BSB BSB: The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
19 UST Then I ordered my officials to search{ the records}. I have found out that{ what you said is true.} The people of Jerusalem have repeatedly revolted against their rulers, beginning a long time ago. BSB BSB: I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.
20 UST { In the past,} powerful kings ruled in Jerusalem. They also ruled over the whole province west of the{ Euphrates} River. They forced the people there to pay them all kinds of taxes. BSB BSB: And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
21 UST Therefore, you must command those Jews to stop rebuilding the city. They will only be allowed to resume if I tell them that they may rebuild it. BSB BSB: Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
22 UST Do this immediately, because I do not want those people to do anything more that will cause me to lose{ any territory or income}.” BSB BSB: See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
23 UST Then King Artaxerxes sent{ messengers with} a copy of the letter to Rehum and Shimshai the provincial secretary and their colleagues. As soon as the messengers finished reading it out loud to them, Rehum and Shimshai and their colleagues went quickly to the Jews in Jerusalem, and they forced the Jews to stop rebuilding{ the city}. BSB BSB: When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
24 UST { Because the enemies of the Jews kept opposing them so strongly in these ways,} the Jews had stopped rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. They did not do any more work to rebuild the temple until the second year after Darius had become the king of Persia. BSB BSB: Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.