Ezra 4:17-22

17 The king sent a reply: "To Rehum the royal officer, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and the rest [of the province] Beyond the River, greetings. And now

18 the letter that you sent to us has been translated [and] read before me.

19 And {I issued} a decree, and they searched and found that this city from ancient days revolted against kings, and rebellion and sedition has been made in it.

20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, [governing] all [the province] Beyond the River, to whom tribute, duty, and tax has been given.

21 So now, issue forth a decree that these men stop and this city not be built, until a decree is issued from me.

22 And be careful not to be negligent on this matter. Why should damage grow to hurt kings?"

Ezra 4:17-22 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "by my means made"