“To King Artaxerxes,³¹ from your servants in³² Trans-Euphrates: ^4:12Now³³ let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city.³⁴ They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. ^4:13Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury³⁵ will suffer loss. ^4:14In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king,³⁶ and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage,³⁷ we are sending the king this information³⁸^4:15so that he may initiate a search of the records³⁹ of his predecessors⁴⁰ and discover in those records⁴¹ that this city is rebellious⁴² and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts⁴³ from long ago.⁴⁴ It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. ^4:16We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control⁴⁵ of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

^4:17The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings!⁴⁶^4:18The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. ^4:19So I gave orders,⁴⁷ and it was determined⁴⁸ that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in⁴⁹ rebellion and revolt. ^4:20Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates⁵⁰ and who were the beneficiaries of⁵¹ tribute, custom, and toll. ^4:21Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.⁵²^4:22Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?”

^4:23Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem⁵³ and stopped them with threat of armed force.⁵⁴

^4:24So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.⁵⁵

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Footnotes

31 The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.
32 Aram “men of.”
33 The takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.
34 Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.
35 Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (), .
36 Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”
37 Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”
38 Aram “and we have made known.”
39 Aram “the book of the minutes.”
40 Aram “of your fathers.”
41 Aram “discover … and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
42 Aram “is a rebellious city.”
43 Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”
44 Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.
45 Aram “will not be to you.”
46 Aram “peace.”
47 Aram “from me was placed a decree.”
48 Aram “and they searched and found.”
49 Aram “are being done.”
50 The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.
51 Aram “were being given to them.”
52 Aram “until a command is issued from me.”
53 Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”
54 Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.
55 Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia 522–486 b.c.