1Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;4.1 the children…: Heb. the sons of the transportation 2Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. 4Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.4.6 Ahasuerus: Heb. Ahashverosh
7¶ And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.4.7 Bishlam: or, in peace4.7 companions: Heb. societies 8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:4.8 scribe: or, secretary 9Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,4.9 companions: Chaldee, societies 10And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.4.10 at such…: Chaldee, Cheeneth
11¶ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time. 12Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.4.12 set up: or, finished4.12 joined: Chaldee, sewed together 13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.4.13 pay: Chaldee, give4.13 revenue: or, strength 14Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;4.14 we have…: Chaldee, we are salted with the salt of the palace 15That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed. 4.15 moved: Chaldee, made4.15 within…: Chaldee, in the midst thereof 16We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
17¶ Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.4.17 companions: Chaldee, societies 18The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 19And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.4.19 I commanded: Chaldee, by me a decree is set4.19 made insurrection: Chaldee, lifted up itself 20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. 21Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.4.21 Give…: Chaldee, Make a decree 22Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23¶ Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.4.23 by force…: Chaldee, by arm and power 24Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
建殿工作受阻
1猶大和便雅憫的敵人聽說流亡者回來要為以色列的上帝耶和華建殿， 2就去見所羅巴伯和以色列的族長，對他們說：「請讓我們與你們一同建造，因為我們像你們一樣也尋求你們的上帝。自從亞述王以撒哈頓帶我們到這裡以後，我們就一直獻祭給上帝。」 3所羅巴伯、耶書亞和以色列其餘的族長回答說：「你們不能參與建殿。遵照波斯王塞魯士的吩咐，我們要自己為以色列的上帝耶和華建殿。」
4於是，當地人阻撓猶大人，使他們不敢建殿， 5從波斯王塞魯士統治年間，一直到波斯王大流士統治期間，當地人收買謀士，破壞他們的計劃。
阻擾重建耶路撒冷
6亞哈隨魯統治初期，他們寫信控告猶大和耶路撒冷的居民。
7波斯王亞達薛西統治年間，比施蘭、米特利達、他別及其同黨上奏亞達薛西。奏章是用亞蘭文寫的，經過翻譯後呈上。 8利宏省長和伸帥書記也寫了奏本給亞達薛西王，控告耶路撒冷人，內容如下： 9「利宏省長、伸帥書記和我們的同僚底拿人、亞法薩提迦人、他毗拉人、亞法撒人、亞基衛人、巴比倫人、書珊迦人、底亥人、以攔人， 10以及偉大尊貴的亞斯那巴遷來並安置在撒瑪利亞各城與幼發拉底河西一帶的人民， 11上奏亞達薛西王，
「『幼發拉底河西的臣民奏告亞達薛西王， 12王該知道，從王那裡到我們這裡來的猶太人已經去了耶路撒冷，如今正在重建這座叛逆、罪惡之城，正在重建地基，修築城牆。 13王該知道，如果這城建好，城牆完工，他們將不再進貢、交賦、納稅，王的稅收必受虧損。 14我們既食王祿，就不能坐視王遭受損失，因此上奏於王。 15請王查看先王的記錄，必從中獲悉這城是叛逆之城，危害列王和各省。自古以來，城中叛亂不斷，因此才被毀滅。 16我們願王知道，這城一旦建好，城牆完工，幼發拉底河西之地就不再為王所有了。』」
17王回覆利宏省長、伸帥書記及其住在撒瑪利亞與幼發拉底河西一帶的同僚，說：「願你們平安！ 18你們呈上的奏章，經過翻譯已奏報給我。 19我已命人查考，發現這城自古以來屢屢背叛列王，是悖逆和叛亂之地。 20強大的君王曾經統管耶路撒冷和幼發拉底河西全境，並向人們徵收貢物和賦稅。 21現在你們要下令讓這些人停止建造這城，等候我的諭旨。 22要認真辦理這事，不可遲延，何必容事情惡化，使王受虧損呢？」
23利宏、伸帥書記及其同僚接到諭旨後，急忙趕往耶路撒冷，用武力強迫猶太人停工。
恢復建殿工作
24於是，耶路撒冷上帝殿的重建工程停止了，一直停到波斯王大流士第二年。
