Ezra 4:17-24

17 Then the king sent to Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and the rest of their fellow-servants who dwelt in Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, Peace; and he says,

18 The tribute-gatherer whom ye sent to us, has been called before me.

19 And a decree has been made by me, and we have examined, and found that city of old time exalts itself against kings, and that rebellions and desertions take place within it.

20 And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to them.

21 Now therefore make a decree to stop the work of those men, and that city shall no more be built.

22 that ye be careful of the decree, to be remiss concerning this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of kings.

23 Then the tribute-gatherer of king Arthasastha read before Reum the chancellor, and Sampsa the scribe, and his fellow-servants: and they went in haste to Jerusalem and through Juda, and caused them to cease with horses and an force.

24 Then ceased the work of the house of God in Jerusalem, and it was at a stand until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

Ezra 4:17-24 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.