Ezra 4:12-22

12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding ¹the rebellious and evil city and ²are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.

13 "Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, ³they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.

14 "Now because * * we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore * we have sent and informed the king,

15 so that a search may be made in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and damaging to kings and provinces, and that they have incited revolt within it in past days; therefore * that city was laid waste.

16 "We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River."

The King Replies and Work Stops

17 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the commander *, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the River: "Peace. And now

18 the document which you sent to us has been ⁴translated and read before me.

19 "A decree has been issued by me, and a search has been made and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it,

20 ⁵that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces ⁶beyond the River, and that ⁷tribute, custom and toll were paid to them.

21 "So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me.

22 "Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?"

Read Chapter Compare

Ezra 4:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 4

The contents of this chapter are the offer the Samaritans made to the Jews, to assist them in building the temple, which having refused, they gave them all the trouble they could, Ezr 4:1-6 and a letter of theirs to Artaxerxes, king of Persia, full of accusations of them, Ezr 4:7-16 and the answer of Artaxerxes to it, giving orders to command the Jews to cease building the temple, Ezr 4:17-22 which orders were accordingly executed, and the work ceased till the second year of Darius, Ezr 4:23,24.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 7

1. 2 Chronicles 36:13
2. Ezra 5:3, 9
3. Ezra 4:20; Ezra 7:24
4. Nehemiah 8:8
5. 1 Kings 4:21; 1 Chronicles 18:3
6. Genesis 15:18; Joshua 1:4
7. Ezra 4:13; Ezra 7:24

Footnotes 4

[a]. Lit "eat the salt"
[b]. Lit "plainly read before"
[c]. Lit "put" forth
[d]. Lit "been"