Esdra 4:23

23 Allora, tosto che il tenor delle lettere del re Artaserse fu letto in presenza di Rehum, e di Simsai, segretario, e de’ lor colleghi, essi andarono prestamente in Gerusalemme a’ Giudei, e li fecero cessare a mano armata.

Esdra 4:23 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 4:23

Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes letter was read before
Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions
By him or them to whom it was particularly directed:

they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews;
not only in obedience to the king's command, but from an eagerness of spirit to put a stop to the proceedings of the Jews, to whom they had an aversion, instigated by the Samaritans:

and made them to cease by force and power;
from going on with the building of the temple, which they reckoned a part of the city, and within their commission; this they did by showing the power and authority they had under the king's hand, and by the forces they brought with them to compel them to it, should they refuse to obey; or, however, they threatened them highly what they would do, if they did not desist.

Esdra 4:23 In-Context

21 Ora dunque provvedete di far cessare quelle genti, acciocchè cotesta città non si riedifichi, finchè da me sia altrimenti ordinato;

22 e guardatevi di far fallo in questo; perchè si lascerebbe crescere il male in detrimento dei re?

23 Allora, tosto che il tenor delle lettere del re Artaserse fu letto in presenza di Rehum, e di Simsai, segretario, e de’ lor colleghi, essi andarono prestamente in Gerusalemme a’ Giudei, e li fecero cessare a mano armata.

24 In quel tempo fu tralasciata l’opera della Casa di Dio, che è in Gerusalemme, e restò così tralasciata fino all’anno secondo del regno di Dario, re di Persia.