The Meaning of Ezra 4:9 Explained

Ezra 4:9

KJV: 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,

YLT: Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites),

Darby: Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

ASV: then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Ezra 4:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 4:1-10 - The Building Of The Temple Opposed
So long as you lead a languid and unaggressive life, the enemy will leave you alone, but directly you begin to build God's temple, you may count on His strenuous opposition. When we are permitted to go on from day to day without much temptation, we may fear that we are doing little to destroy evil and construct good. But the virulent hate of the wicked one is a comfortable sign that his kingdom is suffering serious damage. Let us so live that we may give the devil good reason to fear and hate us. There is a stronger than he. We must beware of the proposal to join in with the ungodly. Their arguments may sound very fair and appeal to a false liberality of sentiment, but the golden cup contains poison, and beneath the kiss is the traitor's hand. This is why so many fair enterprises have miscarried. They have seemed to afford common ground for cooperation with the false and counterfeit Israel, but they have ended in disillusion and disappointment. Though the Jews excited the intense hatred and opposition of their would-be helpers, their policy of exclusiveness was amply justified by the result. The old proverb reminds us that we must never trust our enemies when they offer blandishments and gifts. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 4

1  The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews,
4  endeavor to hinder it
7  Their letter to Artaxerxes
17  The answer and decree of Artaxerxes
23  The building is hindered

What do the individual words in Ezra 4:9 mean?

then Rehum the chancellor the commander and Shimshai scribe the and the rest of their companions [representatives] of Dinaites and Apharsathchites Tarpelites people of Persia - and Erech and Babylon and Shushan who are Dehavite the Elamite
אֱדַ֜יִן רְח֣וּם בְּעֵל־ טְעֵ֗ם וְשִׁמְשַׁי֙ סָֽפְרָ֔א וּשְׁאָ֖ר כְּנָוָתְה֑וֹן דִּ֠ינָיֵא וַאֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵ֞א טַרְפְּלָיֵ֣א אֲפָֽרְסָיֵ֗א [ארכוי] (אַרְכְּוָיֵ֤א) בָבְלָיֵא֙ שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א [דהוא] (דֶּהָיֵ֖א) עֵלְמָיֵֽא

רְח֣וּם  Rehum 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְחוּם 
Sense: an man who returned from exile with Zerubbabel.
בְּעֵל־  the  chancellor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּעֵל  
Sense: owner, lord.
טְעֵ֗ם  the  commander 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טְעֵם  
Sense: decree, taste, judgment, command.
וְשִׁמְשַׁי֙  and  Shimshai 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁמְשַׁי  
Sense: the scribe for Rehum, the satrap of Judea for the Persian government.
סָֽפְרָ֔א  scribe  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: סָפַר  
Sense: scribe, secretary.
וּשְׁאָ֖ר  and  the  rest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שְׁאָר  
Sense: rest, remainder.
כְּנָוָתְה֑וֹן  of  their  companions 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כְּנָת  
Sense: companion, associate.
דִּ֠ינָיֵא  [representatives]  of  Dinaites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דִּינָיֵא  
Sense: the name of some of the Cuthaean colonists who were placed in the cities of Samaria after the captivity of the ten tribes.
וַאֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵ֞א  and  Apharsathchites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲפַרְסְכָי 
Sense: (CLBL) an unknown office.
טַרְפְּלָיֵ֣א  Tarpelites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: טַרְפְּלָי  
Sense: a race of Assyrian colonists who were planted in the cities of Samaria after the captivity of the northern kingdom of Israel; identity uncertain.
אֲפָֽרְסָיֵ֗א  people  of  Persia 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲפָרְסָי  
Sense: (CLBL) an unknown office.
[ארכוי]  - 
Parse: Noun, proper
(אַרְכְּוָיֵ֤א)  and  Erech 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְכְּוָי  
Sense: a native of the city of Erech.
בָבְלָיֵא֙  and  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בָּבְלִי  
Sense: Babylonian.
שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א  and  Shushan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שׁוּשַׁנְכָי  
Sense: the inhabitants of the city of Shushan or Susa.
[דהוא]  who  are 
Parse: Pr, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
(דֶּהָיֵ֖א)  Dehavite  the 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
עֵלְמָיֵֽא  Elamite 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵלְמָי  
Sense: a native of Elam.