Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
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.
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.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
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.
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.
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.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
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.
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.
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.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
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.
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.
Ezra 4 details the opposition faced by the returning exiles as they attempted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. This chapter, while seemingly a detour in the narrative, provides crucial insights into the challenges God's people face when pursuing His purposes. It highlights the strategies of the enemy and God's ultimate sovereignty in the face of adversity.
Foiled Friendship (Ezra 4:1-5)
The initial opposition came in the guise of friendship. When the "surrounding peoples" (referring back to Ezra 3:3), those who had no desire to see the Jewish temple rebuilt, heard that the exiles were rebuilding, they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders, offering to help with the construction. These people were descendants of foreigners brought to Samaria by the Assyrians after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC (see Ezra 4:10). They had intermarried with the remaining Jews and practiced a syncretistic religion, mixing the worship of the Lord with their own idolatry.
Their offer, however, was not born out of genuine goodwill. Zerubbabel and the leaders wisely discerned their true motives and refused their assistance, declaring a firm, "Thanks, but no thanks" (Ezra 4:3). They understood that allowing these individuals to participate would compromise the purity and integrity of the temple's construction and ultimately lead to spiritual contamination.
This rejection sparked open hostility. Unable to infiltrate the project, the enemies of Judah and Benjamin resorted to discouragement and sabotage. They "discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build" (Ezra 4:4). Furthermore, they hired officials to frustrate the work, bribing them to undermine the rebuilding efforts. Ezra 4:5 states that they did this "all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia." This initial phase of opposition highlights a key tactic of the enemy: when genuine connection fails, resort to undermining and discouragement.
Interlude: A Wider Scope of Opposition (Ezra 4:6-23)
Ezra interrupts the narrative of the temple rebuilding to provide a broader perspective on the opposition faced by the Jewish people. This section (Ezra 4:6-23) details attempts to hinder the rebuilding of Jerusalem itself, likely occurring before Nehemiah's arrival and the completion of the city walls.
Ezra 4:6 mentions opposition during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes). The text then focuses on a more significant incident during the reign of Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7). A letter was sent to Artaxerxes, accusing the Jews of planning to rebel and cease paying tribute once the walls of Jerusalem were completed (Ezra 4:12-16). The letter painted a picture of Jerusalem as a historically rebellious city that would inevitably cause trouble for the king. They argued that if the city walls were rebuilt, the king would suffer dishonor, and Jerusalem would become a persistent thorn in his side.
Artaxerxes, after consulting the royal records, discovered the truth in the accusation that Jerusalem had indeed been a rebellious city in the past (Ezra 4:19). Consequently, he issued a decree ordering the Jews to cease their work on the city walls (Ezra 4:21-22). The enemies of the Jews, emboldened by the king's decree, then used force to halt the construction (Ezra 4:23). This illustrates how the enemy can manipulate political power to obstruct God's work.
The Work Halted (Ezra 4:24)
Ezra 4:24 returns to the narrative of the temple rebuilding, picking up where Ezra 4:5 left off. It states that the work on the house of God in Jerusalem "ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia" (Ezra 4:24). This means that the temple construction was stalled for approximately eighteen years.
This verse emphasizes the effectiveness of the opposition in delaying God's plan. The enemies understood that by neutralizing the construction, they could neutralize the temple, the walls, the city, and the community. Their ultimate goal was to undermine the influence of God's people and advance an anti-kingdom agenda. While successful for a time, this delay was not the end of the story. God's purposes would ultimately prevail.
Ezra 4 serves as a reminder that opposition is inevitable when pursuing God's will. However, it also demonstrates that God is sovereign and can use even the most challenging circumstances to ultimately accomplish His purposes. The delay in the temple's construction, while discouraging, paved the way for a renewed commitment and a more profound understanding of God's faithfulness. As we face opposition in our own lives, we can draw strength from this chapter, knowing that God is with us and that His plans will ultimately triumph.
Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
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.
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.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
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.
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.
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.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
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.
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.
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.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
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.
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.
Ezra 4 details the opposition faced by the returning exiles as they attempted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. This chapter, while seemingly a detour in the narrative, provides crucial insights into the challenges God's people face when pursuing His purposes. It highlights the strategies of the enemy and God's ultimate sovereignty in the face of adversity.
Foiled Friendship (Ezra 4:1-5)
The initial opposition came in the guise of friendship. When the "surrounding peoples" (referring back to Ezra 3:3), those who had no desire to see the Jewish temple rebuilt, heard that the exiles were rebuilding, they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders, offering to help with the construction. These people were descendants of foreigners brought to Samaria by the Assyrians after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC (see Ezra 4:10). They had intermarried with the remaining Jews and practiced a syncretistic religion, mixing the worship of the Lord with their own idolatry.
Their offer, however, was not born out of genuine goodwill. Zerubbabel and the leaders wisely discerned their true motives and refused their assistance, declaring a firm, "Thanks, but no thanks" (Ezra 4:3). They understood that allowing these individuals to participate would compromise the purity and integrity of the temple's construction and ultimately lead to spiritual contamination.
This rejection sparked open hostility. Unable to infiltrate the project, the enemies of Judah and Benjamin resorted to discouragement and sabotage. They "discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build" (Ezra 4:4). Furthermore, they hired officials to frustrate the work, bribing them to undermine the rebuilding efforts. Ezra 4:5 states that they did this "all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia." This initial phase of opposition highlights a key tactic of the enemy: when genuine connection fails, resort to undermining and discouragement.
Interlude: A Wider Scope of Opposition (Ezra 4:6-23)
Ezra interrupts the narrative of the temple rebuilding to provide a broader perspective on the opposition faced by the Jewish people. This section (Ezra 4:6-23) details attempts to hinder the rebuilding of Jerusalem itself, likely occurring before Nehemiah's arrival and the completion of the city walls.
Ezra 4:6 mentions opposition during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes). The text then focuses on a more significant incident during the reign of Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7). A letter was sent to Artaxerxes, accusing the Jews of planning to rebel and cease paying tribute once the walls of Jerusalem were completed (Ezra 4:12-16). The letter painted a picture of Jerusalem as a historically rebellious city that would inevitably cause trouble for the king. They argued that if the city walls were rebuilt, the king would suffer dishonor, and Jerusalem would become a persistent thorn in his side.
Artaxerxes, after consulting the royal records, discovered the truth in the accusation that Jerusalem had indeed been a rebellious city in the past (Ezra 4:19). Consequently, he issued a decree ordering the Jews to cease their work on the city walls (Ezra 4:21-22). The enemies of the Jews, emboldened by the king's decree, then used force to halt the construction (Ezra 4:23). This illustrates how the enemy can manipulate political power to obstruct God's work.
The Work Halted (Ezra 4:24)
Ezra 4:24 returns to the narrative of the temple rebuilding, picking up where Ezra 4:5 left off. It states that the work on the house of God in Jerusalem "ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia" (Ezra 4:24). This means that the temple construction was stalled for approximately eighteen years.
This verse emphasizes the effectiveness of the opposition in delaying God's plan. The enemies understood that by neutralizing the construction, they could neutralize the temple, the walls, the city, and the community. Their ultimate goal was to undermine the influence of God's people and advance an anti-kingdom agenda. While successful for a time, this delay was not the end of the story. God's purposes would ultimately prevail.
Ezra 4 serves as a reminder that opposition is inevitable when pursuing God's will. However, it also demonstrates that God is sovereign and can use even the most challenging circumstances to ultimately accomplish His purposes. The delay in the temple's construction, while discouraging, paved the way for a renewed commitment and a more profound understanding of God's faithfulness. As we face opposition in our own lives, we can draw strength from this chapter, knowing that God is with us and that His plans will ultimately triumph.