Ezra 4:7-23

Ezra 4:7-23

[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.  [8] Rehum  the chancellor  and Shimshai  the scribe  wrote  letter  against  Jerusalem  to Artaxerxes  the king  in this sort:  [9] 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,  and the Elamites,  [10] 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] 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] Be it  known  unto the king,  that the Jews  which  came up  from  thee  to us  are come  unto Jerusalem,  the rebellious  and the bad  city,  and have set up  the walls  thereof, and joined  the foundations.  [13] 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] 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 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  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.  [18] The letter  which ye sent  unto us  hath been plainly  read  before  [19] 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] 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] Give  ye now  commandment  these  men  to cease,  and that this  city  be not  builded,  until  another commandment  shall be given  from me.  [22] Take 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. 

What does Ezra 4:7-23 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Artaxerxes was the successor of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), who ruled the Persian Empire from464to424 B.C. [1] Clearly the incident reported in these verses took place long after the temple was complete. It really involved the attempt by Israel"s enemies to halt the rebuilding of Jerusalem"s wall in the days of Nehemiah. It evidently took place about446 B.C. (cf. Ezra 4:21-23; Nehemiah 1:1-3). The writer"s purpose in inserting this incident in the text was evidently to show the continued antagonism of Israel"s enemies and the faithfulness of God in giving the Jews victory over them.
"Near Eastern kings used an elaborate system of informers and spies. Egyptian sources speak of the "ears and eyes" of the Pharaoh. Sargon II of Assyria had agents in Urartu whom he ordered, "Write me whatever you see and hear." The efficient Persian intelligence system is described by Xenophon. [2] The King"s Eye and the King"s Ear were two distinct officials who reported to the monarch. [3] But God"s people could take assurance in their conviction that God"s intelligence system is not only more efficient than any king"s espionage network but is omniscient (cf. 2 Chronicles 16:9; Zechariah 4:10)." [4]
The antagonists enlisted the help of local Persian officials, including Rehum and Shimshai ( Ezra 4:8), to appeal to Artaxerxes to issue an order stopping work on the walls. The letter was in Aramaic, the common language of the Persian Empire. This is the language in which it appears in the oldest Hebrew texts of Ezra. The writer evidently wrote all of Ezra 4:8 to Ezra 6:18 as well as Ezra 7:12-26 in Aramaic originally. The other Aramaic portions of the Old Testament are two words in Genesis 31:47 (translated "the heap of witness"), Jeremiah 10:11 (a divine announcement of the destruction of idols), and Daniel 2:4 b to Daniel 7:28 (which reports the words of Babylonian astrologers and following words addressed to the kings of the earth). Aramaic was a language well known to all the Jews living in the empire, as well as Gentiles. The writer may have written this entire section of the book in Aramaic to avoid changing back and forth from Hebrew to Aramaic so many times. [5]
"The end of Ezra 4:7 is literally "and he wrote the letter written in Aramaic and translated in Aramaic."... This could mean that while the letter had been written in Aramaic, the author"s copy had been translated into Hebrew. [6] Since the actual letter is not given, however, it more likely would mean that although the letter had been written in Aramaic it was translated into Persian when it was read to the king." [7]
Osnappar ( Ezra 4:10) is evidently an Aramaic form of Ashurbanipal (669-ca660 B.C.), the Assyrian king who succeeded Esarhaddon. [8] The phrase "beyond the river" ( Ezra 4:10-11; Ezra 4:16-17; Ezra 4:20) refers to the Persian province that lay to the southwest of the upper Euphrates, namely, the one that encompassed Syria and Palestine.
The Jews mentioned in this letter ( Ezra 4:12) would have been those who returned with Ezra in458 B.C, the second group of Jews to leave Babylon. That group attempted to rebuild the walls of the city, having received permission from Artaxerxes in458 B.C. to do so ( Ezra 7:21).
Israel"s enemies presented three reasons Artaxerxes should withdraw the Jews" building permit. They warned that the Jews would stop paying taxes when their fortifications were complete ( Ezra 4:13), and the consequent decline in revenue would hurt the king"s reputation ( Ezra 4:14). Moreover, if the Jews continued to rebuild a city that had a reputation for rebellion, their actions might encourage other peoples in other parts of the empire to revolt ( Ezra 4:15-16).
"The historical justification for the claim that Jerusalem is a chronically rebellious city will have consisted in such events as Hezekiah"s withholding of tribute from Assyria ( 2 Kings 18:7, ca724 B.C.) and Zedekiah"s abortive bid for freedom from the Babylonians, which led to the cataclysm of587 ( 2 Kings 24:20 ff.). The Assyrian and Babylonian annals were evidently available to the Persian kings. And it is clear that a nerve is touched." [1]9
In his reply Artaxerxes explained that, having done some research, he had concluded that it seemed to be in his best interests to halt work temporarily. He put an order to stop work into effect only until he could determine a permanent solution to the problem ( Ezra 4:21, "until ..."). About two years later (444 B.C.), Artaxerxes released Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem to finish rebuilding the wall ( Nehemiah 2:8). Evidently the king had concluded that, all things considered, it was better to have Jerusalem defended than undefended.
When the Samaritans received Artaxerxes" reply, they immediately forced the Jews to stop building the wall. They may even have destroyed part of the rebuilt wall and burned the gates (cf. Nehemiah 1:3).
"This was a day of great shame to the Jewish population because their honest endeavor was thwarted by their archenemies, the Samaritans, and it was forced on them by Samaritan soldiers." [10]