Ezra 4:23

23 Therefore the exemplar of the commandment of king Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, B?el T?em, and Shimshai, the scribe, and their counsellors; and they went in haste into Jerusalem to the Jews, and they forbade them to build, with arm and might. (And so when the text of King Artaxerxes? letter was read before Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their counsellors, or their officials, they went in haste to the Jews in Jerusalem, and with might and arms, or weapons, they forbade them to continue building.)

Ezra 4:23 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 4:23

Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes letter was read before
Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions
By him or them to whom it was particularly directed:

they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews;
not only in obedience to the king's command, but from an eagerness of spirit to put a stop to the proceedings of the Jews, to whom they had an aversion, instigated by the Samaritans:

and made them to cease by force and power;
from going on with the building of the temple, which they reckoned a part of the city, and within their commission; this they did by showing the power and authority they had under the king's hand, and by the forces they brought with them to compel them to it, should they refuse to obey; or, however, they threatened them highly what they would do, if they did not desist.

Ezra 4:23 In-Context

21 Now therefore hear ye the sentence, that ye forbid those men to build, and that that city be not builded (again), till if peradventure it be commanded of me. (And so now listen ye to my decree, which is, that ye forbid those men to continue to build, and that that city not be rebuilt, unless, and until, I command it to be done.)

22 See ye, that this behest be not fulfilled negligently, and evil increase little and little against (the) kings. (See ye, that this command be not carelessly fulfilled, for then evil would increase little by little against the king.)

23 Therefore the exemplar of the commandment of king Artaxerxes was read before Rehum, B?el T?em, and Shimshai, the scribe, and their counsellors; and they went in haste into Jerusalem to the Jews, and they forbade them to build, with arm and might. (And so when the text of King Artaxerxes? letter was read before Rehum, the chancellor, and Shimshai, the provincial secretary, and their counsellors, or their officials, they went in haste to the Jews in Jerusalem, and with might and arms, or weapons, they forbade them to continue building.)

24 Then the work of God's house in Jerusalem was left [off], and it was not made till to the second year of the realm of Darius, king of Persia. (And so the work on the House of God in Jerusalem was stopped, and it was not started again until the second year of the reign of Darius, the king of Persia.)