Ezra 4:4

4 And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and hindered them in building,

Ezra 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 4:4

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of
Judah, and troubled them in building.
] By threatening them, or by dissuading the workmen from going on, by endeavouring to hinder their having materials from the Tyrians and Zidonians, or money out of the king's revenues to bear the expenses as ordered; see ( Ezra 6:4 ) .

Ezra 4:4 In-Context

2 And they drew near to Zorobabel, and to the heads of families, and said to them, We will build with you; for as ye , we seek our God, and we do sacrifice to him from the days of Asaradan king of Assur, who brought us hither.
3 then Zorobabel, and Jesus and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, not for us and you to build a house to our God, for we ourselves will build together to the Lord our God, as Cyrus the king of the Persians commanded us.
4 And the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Juda, and hindered them in building,
5 and hiring against them, plotting to frustrate their counsel, all the days of Cyrus king of the Persians, and until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
6 And in the reign of Assuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.