7
And in the
days of
Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the
rest of their
companions, unto
Artaxerxes king of
Persia; and the
writing of the
letter was
written in the Syrian
tongue, and
interpreted in the Syrian
tongue.
lea.b'j t'd.r.tim ~'l.viB b;t'K a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a yemyib.W ? s'r'P .$,l,m a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a -l;[ w{t{w'n.K r'a.v.W ? tyim'r]a ~'G.rUt.m.W tyim'r]a b.Wt'K !'w.T.viN;h ]b't.k.W
8
Rehum the
chancellor and Shimshai the
scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to
Artaxerxes the
king in this
sort:
h'r.Gia .Wb;t.K a'r.p's y;v.miv.w ~e[.j -le[.B ~.Wx.r ? a'men.K a'K.l;m a.T.f;v.x;T.r;a.l ~,l.v.Wr.y -l;[ h'd]x
9
Then wrote
Rehum the
chancellor*, and
Shimshai the
scribe, and the
rest of their
companions; the
Dinaites, the
Apharsathchites, the
Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the
Archevites, the
Babylonians, the
Susanchites, the
Dehavites, and the
Elamites,
r'a.v.W a'r.p's y;v.miv.w ~e[.j -le[.B ~.Wx.r !Iy;d/a ? aey'l.P.r;j aey'k.t;s.r;p]a;w aey'nyiD !w{h.t'w'n.K ? a.WhiD aey'k.n;v.Wv aey'l.b'b y'w.K.r;a aey's.r'p]a ? aey'm.le[
10
And the
rest of the
nations whom the
great and
noble Asnappar brought
over, and
set* in the
cities of
Samaria, and the
rest that are on this
side the
river, and at such a
time.
a'ryiQ;y.w a'B;r r;P;n.s'a yil.g;h yiD a'Y;MUa r'a.v.W ? h'r]h;n -r;b][ r'a.v.W !Iy'r.m'v yiD h'y.riq.B w{Mih betw{h.w ? t,n,[.k.W
11
This is the
copy of the
letter that they
sent unto
him, even unto
Artaxerxes the
king; Thy
servants the
men on this
side the
river, and at such a
time.
a.T.f;v.x;T.r;a -l;[ yihw{l][ .Wx;l.v yiD a'T.r;Gia !,g,v.r;P h'n.D ? t,n,[.k.W h'r]h;n -r;b][ v'n/a .$Iy'd.b;[ a'K.l;m
12
Be
it known unto the
king, that the
Jews which came
up from thee to
us are
come unto
Jerusalem, building the
rebellious and the
bad city, and have set
up the
walls thereof, and
joined the
foundations.
.Wqil.s yiD aey'd.Wh.y yiD a'K.l;m.l aew/h,l ;[yid.y ? a't.y.riq ~,l.v.Wryil w{t]a a'ny,l][ .$'t'w.l -nim ? .Wlil.k.v,a y;r.Wv.w !Iy;n'B q]a'T.vyaib.W a'T.d'r'm ? .Wjyix;y a'Y;VUa.w
13
Be it
known* now unto the
king, that,
if this city be
builded, and the
walls set
up again, then will they
not pay toll, tribute, and
custom, and so thou shalt
endamage the
revenue of the
kings.
a't.y.riq !eh yiD a'K.l;m.l aew/h,l ;[yid.y !;[.K ? w{l.b -h'D.nim !.Wl.l.k;T.vIy h'Y;r.Wv.w aen.B.tiT .$'d ? qiz.n;h.T ~yik.l;m ~{t.P;a.w !.Wn.T.nIy a'l .$'l]h;w
14
Now because we have maintenance* from the king's
palace, and it was
not meet for us to
see the
king's dishonour, therefore have we
sent and
certified the
king;
a'n.x;l.m a'l.kyeh x;l.m -yiD leb\q -l'K !;[.K ? h'n.D -l;[ aez/x,m.l ]a'n;l -.kyir]a a'l a'K.l;m t;w.r;[.w ? a'K.l;m.l a'n.[;dw{h.w a'n.x;l.v
15
That
search may be made in the
book of the
records of thy
fathers: so shalt thou
find in the
book of the
records, and
know that
this city is a
rebellious city, and
hurtful unto
kings and
provinces, and that they have
moved sedition within the
same of old time: for which cause was
this city destroyed.
x;K.v;h.t.W .$'t'h'b]a yiD a'Y;n'r.k'D -r;p.siB r;Q;b.y yiD ? a'y.riq .$'d a't.y.riq yiD [;D.nit.w a'Y;n'r.k'D r;p.siB ? r.WD;T.v,a.w !'nid.m.W !yik.l;m t;q.z.n;h.m.W a'd'r'm ? h'n.D -l;[ a'm.l'[ t'mw{y -nim H]W;g.B !yid.b'[ ? t;b.r'x'h .$'d a't.y.riq
16
We certify the
king that,
if this city be
builded again, and the
walls thereof set
up, by
this means thou shalt
have no portion on this
side the
river.
a't.y.riq !eh yiD a'K.l;m.l h'n.x;n]a !yi[.dw{h.m ? h'n.D leb\q'l !.Wl.l.k;T.vIy h'Y;r.Wv.w aen.B.tiT .$'d ? .$'l y;tyia a'l a'r]h;n r;b][;B q'l]x
17
Then
sent the
king an
answer unto Rehum the
chancellor*, and to
Shimshai the
scribe, and to the
rest of their
companions that
dwell in
Samaria, and unto the
rest beyond the
river, Peace, and at such a
time.
~e[.j -le[.B ~.Wx.r -l;[ a'K.l;m x;l.v a'm'g.tiP ? !yib.t'y yiD !w{h.t'w'n.K r'a.v.W a'r.p's y;v.miv.w ? t,[.k.W ~'l.v h'r]h;n -r;b][ r'a.v.W !Iy'r.m'v.B
18
The
letter which ye
sent unto
us hath been
plainly read before me.
yir/q v;r'p.m a'ny,l][ !.WT.x;l.v yiD a'n'w.T.vin ? y'm'd'q
19
And
I commanded*, and
search hath been made, and it is
found that
this city of old time hath made
insurrection against kings, and that
rebellion and
sedition have been
made therein.
a't.y.riq yiD .Wx;K.v;h.w .Wr;Q;b.W ~e[.j ~yif yiNim.W ? h'a.F;n.tim !yik.l;m -l;[ a'm.l'[ t'mw{y -nim .$'d ? H;B -d,b][.tim r.WD;T.v,a.w d;r.m.W
20
There have
been mighty kings also
over Jerusalem, which have
ruled over
all countries
beyond the
river; and
toll, tribute, and
custom, was
paid unto them.
!yijyiL;v.w ~,l.v.Wr.y -l;[ w{w]h !yipyiQ;T !yik.l;m.W ? beh.y.tim .$'l]h;w w{l.b h'Dim.W h'r]h;n r;b][ l{k.B ? !w{h.l
21
Give ye
now commandment to
cause these men to
cease, and that
this city be
not builded,
until another
commandment shall be
given from
me.
a't.y.riq.w .$eLia a'Y;r.bUG a'l'J;b.l ]me[.J .Wmyif !;[.K ? ~'f.TIy a'm.[;j yiNim -d;[ aen.B.tit a'l .$'d
22
Take
heed* now that ye
fail not to
do* this: why should
damage grow to the
hurt of the
kings?
h'm.l h'n.D -l;[ d;B.[,m.l .Wl'v w{w/h !yiryih.z.W ? !yik.l;m t;q'z.n;h.l a'l'b]x aeG.fIy
23
Now when the copy of
king Artaxerxes' letter was
read before Rehum, and
Shimshai the
scribe, and their
companions, they went
up in
haste to
Jerusalem unto the
Jews, and made
them to
cease by
force and
power.
a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a yiD a'n'w.T.vin !,g,v.r;P yiD -nim !Iy;d/a ? !w{h.t'w'n.k.W a'r.p's y;v.miv.w ~.Wx.r -m'd\q yir/q a'K.l;m ? aey'd.Wh.y -l;[ ]m,l.v.Wryil .Wlyih.bib .Wl;z]a ? lIy'x.w ['r.d,a.B w{Mih .WliJ;b.W