4:1
audierunt autem hostes Iudae et Beniamin quia filiicaptivitatis aedificarent templum Domino Deo Israhel

4:2
et accedentes ad Zorobabel et ad principes patrum dixerunteis aedificemus vobiscum quia ita ut vos quaerimus Deum vestrumecce nos immolamus victimas ex diebus Asoraddan regis Assur quiadduxit nos huc

4:3
et dixit eis Zorobabel et Iosue et reliqui principes patrumIsrahel non est vobis et nobis ut aedificemus domum Deo nostrosed nos ipsi soli aedificabimus Domino Deo nostro sicutpraecepit nobis rex Cyrus rex Persarum

4:4
factum est igitur ut populus terrae inpediret manus populiIudae et turbaret eos in aedificando

4:5
conduxerunt quoque adversum eos consiliatores ut destruerentconsilium eorum omnibus diebus Cyri regis Persarum et usque adregnum Darii regis Persarum

4:6
in regno autem Asueri principio regni eius scripseruntaccusationem adversum habitatores Iudae et Hierusalem

4:7
et in diebus Artarxersis scripsit Beselam Mitridatis etTabel et reliqui qui erant in consilio eorum ad Artarxersenregem Persarum epistula autem accusationis scripta erat syriaceet legebatur sermone syro

4:8
Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba scripserunt epistulam unam deHierusalem Artarxersi regi huiuscemodi

4:9
Reum Beelteem et Samsai scriba et reliqui consiliatoreseorum Dinei et Apharsathei Terphalei Apharsei Erchuei BabyloniiSusannechei Deaei Aelamitae

4:10
et ceteri de gentibus quas transtulit Asennaphar magnus etgloriosus et habitare eas fecit in civitatibus Samariae et inreliquis regionibus trans Flumen in pace

4:11
hoc est exemplar epistulae quam miserunt ad eum Artarxersiregi servi tui viri qui sunt trans Fluvium salutem dicunt

4:12
notum sit regi quia Iudaei qui ascenderunt a te ad nosvenerunt in Hierusalem civitatem rebellem et pessimam quamaedificant extruentes muros eius et parietes conponentes

4:13
nunc igitur notum sit regi quia si civitas illa aedificatafuerit et muri eius instaurati tributum et vectigal et annuosreditus non dabunt et usque ad reges haec noxa perveniet

4:14
nos ergo memores salis quod in palatio comedimus et quialaesiones regis videre nefas ducimus idcirco misimus etnuntiavimus regi

4:15
ut recenseas in libris historiarum patrum tuorum etinvenies scriptum in commentariis et scies quoniam urbs illaurbs rebellis est et nocens regibus et provinciis et bellaconcitant in ea ex diebus antiquis quam ob rem et civitas ipsadestructa est

4:16
nuntiamus nos regi quoniam si civitas illa aedificatafuerit et muri ipsius instaurati possessionem trans Fluvium nonhabebis

4:17
verbum misit rex ad Reum Beelteem et Samsai scribam et adreliquos qui erant in consilio eorum habitatores Samariae etceteris trans Fluvium salutem dicens et pacem

4:18
accusationem quam misistis ad nos manifeste lecta est coramme

4:19
et a me praeceptum est et recensuerunt inveneruntquequoniam civitas illa a diebus antiquis adversum reges rebellatet seditiones et proelia concitantur in ea

4:20
nam et reges fortissimi fuerunt in Hierusalem qui etdominati sunt omni regioni quae trans Fluvium est tributumquoque et vectigal et reditus accipiebant

4:21
nunc ergo audite sententiam ut prohibeatis viros illos eturbs illa non aedificetur donec si forte a me iussum fuerit

4:22
videte ne neglegenter hoc impleatis et paulatim crescatmalum contra reges

4:23
itaque exemplum edicti Artarxersis regis lectum est coramReum et Samsai scriba et consiliariis eorum et abierunt festiniin Hierusalem ad Iudaeos et prohibuerunt eos in brachio etrobore

4:24
tunc intermissum est opus domus Dei in Hierusalem et nonfiebat usque ad annum secundum regni Darii regis Persarum

Continued...

004:001
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

004:002
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 Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

004:003
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.

004:004
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

004:005
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.

004:006
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.

004:007
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.

004:008
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

004:009
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,

004:010
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

004:011
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.

004:012
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.

004:013
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.

004:014
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;

004:015
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.

004:016
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.

004:017
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.

004:018
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

004:019
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.

004:020
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.

004:021
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.

004:022
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

004:023
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.

004:024
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.

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