Ezra 4:12

12 We are here to inform the king that the Jews who came from you to us have arrived in Jerusalem and have set about rebuilding that rebellious and evil city. They are busy at work finishing the walls and rebuilding the foundations.

Ezra 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 4:12

Be it known unto the king
The intent of this letter was, that it might be known to the king what follows:

that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem;
this they observe partly out of contempt of the Jews, having been lately captive in Babylon, and partly to insinuate what ingratitude they were guilty of; that having got their liberty, and come to Jerusalem, they made use of it to the king's detriment:

building the rebellious and the bad city;
as they suggest it had been to kings, even his predecessors, in former times, ( Ezra 4:15 )

and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations;
which was a falsehood; for the most they had done was setting up the walls of their houses in Jerusalem, and laying the foundation of the temple; as for the walls of the city, they had not as yet done anything unto them.

Ezra 4:12 In-Context

10 and all the others whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and other places in the land across the Euphrates.

11 (This is the copy of the letter they sent to him.) To: King Artaxerxes from your servants from the land across the Euphrates.

12 We are here to inform the king that the Jews who came from you to us have arrived in Jerusalem and have set about rebuilding that rebellious and evil city. They are busy at work finishing the walls and rebuilding the foundations.

13 The king needs to know that once that city is rebuilt and the wall completed they will no longer pay a penny of tribute, tax, or duty. The royal treasury will feel the loss.

14 We're loyal to the king and cannot sit idly by while our king is being insulted - that's why we are passing this information on.