Ezra 4:18-24

18 The letter you sent me has been read word for word in my presence.

19 I gave the order, and a search was made. I discovered that this city has a long history of uprisings against kings. Its inhabitants are guilty of treason and rebellion.

20 Jerusalem has had powerful kings who have ruled the whole [province] west of the Euphrates. Taxes, fees, and tolls were paid to them.

21 So order these men to stop rebuilding. Keep this city from being rebuilt until I give the order.

22 Be careful not to neglect your duty in this matter. Why should I, the king, suffer any more harm?

23 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and their group hurried to Jerusalem after hearing a copy of King Artaxerxes' letter. They forced the Jews to stop rebuilding.

24 Then the work on God's temple in Jerusalem was stopped. Nothing more was done until Darius' second year as king of Persia.

Ezra 4:18-24 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.