1
Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the LORD God of Israel,
yen.b -yiK !im'y.nib.Wt01144 h'd.Wh.yt03063 yer'ct06862 .W[.m.viY;wt08085 ? lea'r.fIyt03478 yeh{l/at01964 h'why;lt03068 l'kyeh ~yinw{B h'lw{G;ht01473
2
they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' households, and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here."
tw{b'a'ht01 yeva'rt07218 -l,a.w l,b'BUr.zt02216 -l,a .Wv.GiY;w ? vw{r.dint01875 ~,k'k yiK ~,k'Mi[ h,n.bint01129 ~,h'l .Wr.ma{Y;wt0559 ? r;sea yemyim ~yix.b{zt02076 .Wn.x;n]a a{l.w ~,kyeh{lael ? h{P .Wn't{a h,l][;M;h r.WV;at0804 .$,l,mt04428 !{D;x
3
But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers' households of Israel said to them, "You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the LORD God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us."
yeva'rt07218 r'a.v.Wt07605 ;[.Wvey.wt03442 l,b'BUr.zt02216 ~,h'l r,ma{Y;wt0559 ? tw{n.bil .Wn'l'w ~,k'l -a{l lea'r.fIy.lt03478 tw{b'a'ht01 ? h'why;lt03068 h,n.bint01129 d;x;yt03162 .Wn.x;n]a yiK .Wnyeh{lael tIy;Bt01004 ? v,rw{Kt03566 .$,l,M;ht04428 .Wn\Wic r,v]a;K lea'r.fIy yeh{l/a ? s'r'Pt06539 -.k,l,m
4
Then the people of the land discouraged * the people of Judah, and frightened them from building,
h'd.Wh.yt03063 -m;[ yed.yt03027 ~yiP;r.m #,r'a'ht0776 -m;[ yih.y;w ? tw{n.bil ~'tw{a ~yih;l;b.m.Wt01089
5
and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
-l'K ~'t'c][ rep'h.l ~yic][w{y ~,hyel][ ~yir.k{s.w t07936 ? s'r'Pt06539 -.k,l,m v,w'y.r'Dt01867 t.Wk.l;m -d;[.w s;r'Pt06539 .$,l,mt04428 v,rw{Kt03566 yem.y
6
Now in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
.Wb.t'Kt03789 w{t.Wk.l;mt04438 t;Lix.tiBt08462 vw{rew.v;x]at0325 t.Wk.l;m.b.Wt04438 ? ~i'l'v.Wryiwt03389 h'd.Wh.yt03063 yeb.v{yt03427 -l;[ h'n.jift07855
7
And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the text of the letter was written in Aramaic and translated from Aramaic.
lea.b'jt02870 t'd.r.timt04990 ~'l.viBt01312 b;t'Kt03789 a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a yemyib.Wt0762 ? s'r'Pt06539 .$,l,mt04428 a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a -l;[ w{t{w'n.Kt05406 r'a.v.Wt07605 ? tyim'r]at0762 ~'G.rUt.m.Wt08638 tyim'r]a b.Wt'K !'w.T.viN;h ]b't.k.Wt03791
8
Rehum the commander * and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows -
h'r.Giat0104 .Wb;t.Kt03790 a'r.p'st05613 y;v.miv.wt08124 ~e[.jt02942 -le[.Bt01169 ~.Wx.rt07348 ? a'men.Kt03660 a'K.l;m a.T.f;v.x;T.r;a.l ~,l.v.Wr.yt03390 -l;[t05922 h'd]xt02298
9
then wrote Rehum the commander * and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
r'a.v.Wt07606 a'r.p'st05613 y;v.miv.wt08124 ~e[.jt02942 -le[.Bt01169 ~.Wx.rt07348 !Iy;d/at0116 ? aey'l.P.r;jt02967 aey'k.t;s.r;p]a;w aey'nyiDt01784 !w{h.t'w'n.K ? a.WhiDt01723 aey'k.n;v.Wvt07801 aey'l.b'bt0896 y'w.K.r;at0756 aey's.r'p]at0670 ? aey'm.le[t05962
10
and the rest of the nations which the great and honorable Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region beyond the River. Now
a'ryiQ;y.wt03358 a'B;rt07229 r;P;n.s'at0620 yil.g;ht01541 yiDt01768 a'Y;MUa r'a.v.Wt07606 ? h'r]h;nt05103 -r;b][t05675 r'a.v.Wt07606 !Iy'r.m'vt08115 yiD h'y.riq.Bt07149 w{Miht01994 betw{h.w ? t,n,[.k.Wt03706
11
this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "T o King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now
a.T.f;v.x;T.r;a -l;[t05922 yihw{l][ .Wx;l.vt07972 yiDt01768 a'T.r;Giat0104 !,g,v.r;Pt06573 h'n.Dt01836 ? t,n,[.k.Wt03706 h'r]h;nt05103 -r;b][t05675 v'n/at0606 .$Iy'd.b;[t05649 a'K.l;m
12
let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
.Wqil.st05559 yiDt01768 aey'd.Wh.yt03062 yiD a'K.l;m.lt04430 aew/h,l ;[yid.y ? a't.y.riqt07149 ~,l.v.Wryilt03390 w{t]a a'ny,l][t05922 .$'t'w.lt03890 -nim ? .Wlil.k.v,at03635 y;r.Wv.wt07792 !Iy;n'B q]a'T.vyaib.Wt0873 a'T.d'r'mt04779 ? .Wjyix;y a'Y;VUa.wt0787
13
"Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.
a't.y.riqt07149 !eh yiD a'K.l;m.lt04430 aew/h,lt02006 ;[yid.yt03046 !;[.K ? w{l.bt01093 -h'D.nimt01124 !.Wl.l.k;T.vIyt03635 h'Y;r.Wv.wt07792 aen.B.tiT .$'dt01791 ? qiz.n;h.Tt05142 ~yik.l;m ~{t.P;a.wt0674 !.Wn.T.nIyt05415 a'lt03809 .$'l]h;wt01983
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,
a'n.x;l.mt04415 a'l.kyeht03606 x;l.mt04416 -yiDt01768 leb\qt06903 -l'K !;[.K ? h'n.Dt01836 -l;[t05922 aez/x,m.l ]a'n;l -.kyir]at0749 a'lt03809 a'K.l;m t;w.r;[.wt06173 ? a'K.l;m.l a'n.[;dw{h.w a'n.x;l.vt07972
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.
x;K.v;h.t.Wt07912 .$'t'h'b]at02 yiD a'Y;n'r.k'D -r;p.siBt05609 r;Q;b.yt01240 yiD ? a'y.riqt07149 .$'dt01791 a't.y.riqt07149 yiD [;D.nit.w a'Y;n'r.k'D r;p.siBt05609 ? r.WD;T.v,a.wt0849 !'nid.m.Wt04083 !yik.l;m t;q.z.n;h.m.Wt05142 a'd'r'mt04779 ? h'n.Dt01836 -l;[t05922 a'm.l'[ t'mw{y -nim H]W;g.Bt01459 !yid.b'[t05648 ? t;b.r'x'ht02718 .$'dt01791 a't.y.riqt07149
16
"We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River."
a't.y.riqt07149 !eh yiD a'K.l;m.lt04430 h'n.x;n]at0586 !yi[.dw{h.mt02006 ? h'n.Dt01836 leb\q'lt06903 !.Wl.l.k;T.vIyt03635 h'Y;r.Wv.wt07792 aen.B.tiT .$'dt01791 ? .$'l y;tyiat0383 a'lt03809 a'r]h;nt05103 r;b][;Bt05675 q'l]xt02508
17
Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the commander *, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and in the rest of the provinces beyond the River: "Peace. And now
~e[.jt02942 -le[.Bt05922 ~.Wx.rt07348 -l;[ a'K.l;m x;l.vt07972 a'm'g.tiPt06600 ? !yib.t'yt03488 yiD !w{h.t'w'n.K r'a.v.Wt07606 a'r.p'st05613 y;v.miv.wt08124 ? t,[.k.Wt03706 ~'l.vt08001 h'r]h;nt05103 -r;b][t05675 r'a.v.Wt07606 !Iy'r.m'v.Bt08115
18
the document which you sent to us has been translated and read before me.
yir/q v;r'p.mt06568 a'ny,l][t05922 !.WT.x;l.vt07972 yiD a'n'w.T.vint05407 ? y'm'd'q
19
"A decree has been issued by me, and a search has been made and it has been discovered that that city has risen up against the kings in past days, that rebellion and revolt have been perpetrated in it,
a't.y.riqt07149 yiD .Wx;K.v;h.wt07912 .Wr;Q;b.Wt01240 ~e[.jt02942 ~yift07761 yiNim.W ? h'a.F;n.tim !yik.l;m -l;[t05922 a'm.l'[ t'mw{y -nim .$'dt01791 ? H;B -d,b][.timt05648 r.WD;T.v,a.wt0849 d;r.m.Wt04776
20
that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces beyond the River, and that tribute, custom and toll were paid to them.
!yijyiL;v.wt07990 ~,l.v.Wr.yt03390 -l;[t05922 w{w]ht01934 !yipyiQ;T !yik.l;m.W ? beh.y.timt03052 .$'l]h;wt01983 w{l.bt01093 h'Dim.Wt04061 h'r]h;nt05103 r;b][t05675 l{k.Bt03606 ? !w{h.l
21
"So, now issue a decree to make these men stop work, that this city may not be rebuilt until a decree is issued by me.
a't.y.riq.w .$eLiat0479 a'Y;r.bUGt01400 a'l'J;b.lt0989 ]me[.J .Wmyift04481 !;[.K ? ~'f.TIy a'm.[;j yiNim -d;[t05705 aen.B.tit a'lt03809 .$'dt01791
22
"Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?"
h'm.lt04101 h'n.Dt01836 -l;[t05922 d;B.[,m.lt05648 .Wl'vt07960 w{w/ht01934 !yiryih.z.Wt02095 ? !yik.l;m t;q'z.n;h.lt05142 a'l'b]xt02257 aeG.fIyt07680
23
Then as soon * as the copy of King Artaxerxes' document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.
a'T.f;v.x;T.r;a yiDt01768 a'n'w.T.vint05407 !,g,v.r;Pt06573 yiD -nim !Iy;d/at0116 ? !w{h.t'w'n.k.W a'r.p'st05613 y;v.miv.wt08124 ~.Wx.rt07348 -m'd\q yir/q a'K.l;m ? aey'd.Wh.yt03062 -l;[t05922 ]m,l.v.Wryil .Wlyih.bibt0924 .Wl;z]at0236 ? lIy'x.wt02429 ['r.d,a.Bt0153 w{Miht04481 .WliJ;b.Wt0989
24
Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
~,l.v.WryiBt03390 yiD a'h'l/at0426 -tyeBt01005 t;dyib][t05673 t;lej.Bt0989 !Iy;daeBt0116 ? v,w'y.r'Dt01868 t.Wk.l;m.lt04437 !yeT.r;T t;n.v d;[t05705 a'l.j'Bt0989 t'w]h;wt01934 ? s'r'Pt06540 -.k,l,m