Enemies Offer False Help
Study note
The people living around Jerusalem were not true Israelites. They were foreigners brought in by the Assyrian king Esarhaddon after Israel's northern kingdom fell. They mixed the worship of their own gods with worship of the Lord. When they offered to help build the temple, Zerubbabel and the Jewish leaders wisely refused. They knew the offer was not sincere and would lead to a watered-down worship of God.
1 The foes of Judah and Benjamin found out something. The returned people were building a temple for the Lord, Israel's God. Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
2 they approached Zerubbabel and the family leaders with an offer: "Let us join you in building. We worship your God too. We have been making sacrifices to him ever since King Esarhaddon of Assyria brought us here." Then 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.
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other Israelite leaders turned them down flat: "You have no role in building our God's temple. We will build it ourselves for the Lord, the God of Israel, just as King Cyrus ordered." But 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.
Opposition Delays the Work
Study note
After being rejected, the local peoples actively worked to discourage and frighten the Jewish builders. They hired officials to argue against the project in the Persian court. This opposition lasted throughout the reign of King Cyrus and continued until King Darius came to power, a span of many years.
4 The local people then worked hard to scare the people of Judah and stop them from building. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 They hired people to work against the Jews and ruin their plans. This went on during all of King Cyrus's reign. It kept going until King Darius came to power. And 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.
Letters Against Jerusalem
Study note
This section describes letters of accusation sent to Persian kings over the years. The letter to King Artaxerxes was written in Aramaic, the common language of the Persian Empire. The enemies claimed that Jerusalem had a long history of rebellion and that rebuilding the city would threaten the king's authority and tax income. They urged the king to search the historical records and see for himself.
6 When Ahasuerus first became king, the foes at once filed a charge against the people in Judah and Jerusalem. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 Later, during King Artaxerxes' time, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their friends wrote a letter to the king. It was written and put into Aramaic. 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.
8 Rehum the leader and Shimshai the clerk also wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes. It was against Jerusalem. Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 The letter was from Commander Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their associates -- judges, officials, and people from Persia, Erech, Babylon, and Susa (meaning the Elamites), Then 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,
10 He also brought the rest of the peoples that the great and famous Ashurbanipal had moved. They were placed in the cities of Samaria and all through the territory west of the Euphrates. And 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.
11 The letter said this: "To King Artaxerxes, from your loyal people west of the Euphrates River." 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.
12 "We want the king to know that the Jews who came from your land to ours have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that trouble-causing city. They are fixing the walls and repairing the foundations. Be 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.
13 "The king should realize that once this city is rebuilt and its walls are standing again, the people will refuse to pay taxes, fees, or duties. This will drain the royal treasury. Be 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.
14 "We are loyal to the palace and do not want to see the king disrespected. Therefore we are sending this warning. Now 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;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have stirred up sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed. That 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.
16 "We warn you clearly. If this city is rebuilt and its walls go back up, you will lose control of all lands west of the Euphrates." We 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.
The King Orders the Work to Stop
Study note
King Artaxerxes responded by ordering a search of the records. He found that Jerusalem had indeed rebelled against foreign rulers in the past. Based on this, he commanded the work to stop immediately. When the local officials received this letter, they rushed to Jerusalem and forced the Jewish workers to stop building. The temple project stayed on hold until the second year of King Darius of Persia.
17 The king sent this reply: "To Rehum the leader, Shimshai the clerk, and their friends in Samaria and the rest of the area west of the Euphrates. Greetings." 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.
18 "Your letter has been read and translated for me. The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 "I had the records searched, and sure enough, this city has a long track record of revolting against its rulers. Rebellions and uprisings have been common there. And 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.
20 "Powerful kings once ruled from Jerusalem and controlled everything west of the Euphrates. Taxes and duties flowed to them. There 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.
21 "Issue an order immediately: these people must stop all construction. The city is not to be rebuilt unless I say otherwise. Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22 "Handle this promptly. We cannot afford to let the situation get worse and the crown suffer losses." Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23 As soon as Rehum, Shimshai, and their friends got the king's letter, they hurried to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop building. 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.
24 Construction on God's temple in Jerusalem ground to a halt. It stayed that way until the second year of King Darius of Persia. Then 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.