Ezra 4
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
Septuagint (Brenton Greek text, with Apocrypha)
1When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
1Καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ θλίβοντες Ἰούδα καὶ Βενιαμὶν, ὅτι υἱοὶ τῆς ἀποικίας οἰκοδομοῦσιν οἶκον τῷ Κυρίῳ Θεῷ Ἰσραὴλ,
2they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
2καὶ ἤγγισαν πρὸς Ζοροβάβελ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν πατριῶν, καὶ εἶπον αὐτοῖς, οἰκοδομήσομεν μεθʼ ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὡς ὑμεῖς ἐκζητοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ αὐτῷ ἡμεῖς θυσιάζομεν ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν Ἀσαραδὰν βασιλέως Ἀσσοὺρ τοῦ ἐνέγκαντος ἡμᾶς ὧδε.
3But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
3Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ζοροβάβελ καὶ Ἰησοῦς καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν πατριῶν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐχ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν τοῦ οἰκοδομῆσαι οἶκον τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοαυτὸ οἰκοδομήσομεν τῷ Κυρίω Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Κύρος ὁ βασιλεὺς Περσῶν.
4Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
4Καὶ ἦν ὁ λαὸς τῆς γῆς ἐκλύων τὰς χεῖρας τοῦ λαοῦ Ἰούδα, καὶ ἐνεπόδιζον αὐτοὺς οἰκοδομεῖν,
5They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.
5καὶ μισθούμενοι ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς βουλευόμενοι τοῦ διασκεδάσαι βουλὴν αὐτῶν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Κύρου βασιλέως Περσῶν, καὶ ἕως βασιλείας Δαρείου βασιλείας Περσῶν.
6At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
6Καὶ ἐν βασιλείᾳ Ἀσσουήρου, καὶ ἐν ἀρχῇ βασιλείας αὐτοῦ ἔγραψαν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπὶ οἰκοῦντας Ἰούδα καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ.
7And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.
7Καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις Ἀρθασασθὰ ἔγραψεν ἐν εἰρήνῃ Μιθραδάτῃ Ταβεὴλ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς συνδούλοις· πρὸς Ἀρθασασθὰ βασιλέα Περσῶν ἔγραψεν ὁ φορολόγος γραφὴν Συριστὶ καὶ ἡρμηνευμένην.
8Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
8Ῥεοὺμ βαλτὰμ καὶ Σαμψὰ ὁ γραμματεὺς ἔγραψαν ἐπιστολὴν μίαν κατὰ Ἱερουσαλὴμ τῷ Ἀρθασασθὰ βασιλεῖ.
9From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,
9Τάδε ἔκρινε Ῥεοὺμ βαλτὰμ καὶ Σαμψὰ ὁ γραμματεὺς καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι σύνδουλοι ἡμῶν, Δειναῖοι, Ἀφαρσαθαχαῖοι, Ταρφαλαῖοι, Ἀφαρσαῖοι, Ἀρχυαῖοι, Βαβυλώνιοι, Σουσαναχαῖοι, Δαυαῖοι,
10and the rest of the peoples whom the great and honorable Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and elsewhere west of the Euphrates.
10καὶ οἱ κατάλοιποι ἐθνῶν ὧν ἀπῴκισεν Ἀσσεναφὰρ ὁ μέγας καὶ ὁ τίμιος, καὶ κατῴκισεν αὐτοὺς ἐν πόλεσι τῆς Σομόρων καὶ τὸ κατάλοιπον πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ.
11(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
11Αὕτη ἡ διαταγὴ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἧς ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτόν· πρὸς Ἀρθασασθὰ βασιλέα παῖδές σου ἄνδρες πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ.
12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations.
12Γνωστὸν ἔστω τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ ἀναβάντες ἀπὸ σοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἤλθοσαν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἀποστάτιν καὶ πονηρὰν, ἣν οἰκοδομοῦσι· καὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς κατηρτισμένα εἰσὶ, καὶ θεμελίους αὐτῆς ἀνύψωσαν.
13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
13Νῦν οὖν γνωστὸν ἔστω τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι ἐὰν ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἀνοικοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς καταρτισθῶσι, φόροι οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι, οὐδὲ δώσουσι· καὶ τοῦτο βασιλεῖς κακοποιεῖ,
14Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king
14καὶ ἀσχημοσύνην βασιλέως οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν ἰδεῖν· διὰ τοῦτο ἐπέμψαμεν καὶ ἐγνωρίσαμεν τῷ βασιλεῖ,
15that a search should be made of the record books of your fathers. In these books you will discover and verify that the city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, inciting sedition from ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed.
15ἵνα ἐπισκέψηται ἐν βίβλῳ ὑπομνηματισμοῦ τῶν πατέρων σου, καὶ εὑρήσεις, καὶ γνώσῃ, ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη πόλις ἀποστάτις, καὶ κακοποιοῦσα βασιλεῖς καὶ χώρας, καὶ φυγαδείαι δούλων γίνονται ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος, διὰ ταῦτα ἡ πόλις αὕτη ἠρημώθη.
16We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
16Γνωρίζομεν οὖν ἡμεῖς τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὅτι ἂν ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη οἰκοδομηθῇ, καὶ τὰ τείχη αὐτῆς καταρτισθῇ, οὐκ ἔστι σοι εἰρήνη.
17Then the king sent this reply: To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of your associates living in Samaria and elsewhere in the region west of the Euphrates: Greetings.
17Καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Ῥεοὺμ βαλτὰμ καὶ Σαμψὰ γραμματέα καὶ τοὺς καταλοίπους συνδούλους αὐτῶν τοὺς οἰκοῦντας ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ καὶ τοὺς καταλοίπους πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ, εἰρήνην· καὶ φησὶν,
18The letter you sent us has been translated and read in my presence.
18ὁ φορολόγος ὃν ἀπεστείλατε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐκλήθη ἔμπροσθεν ἐμοῦ·
19I issued a decree, and a search was conducted. It was discovered that this city has revolted against kings from ancient times, engaging in rebellion and sedition.
19Καὶ παρʼ ἐμοῦ ἐτέθη γνώμη, καὶ ἐπεσκεψάμεθα καὶ εὕραμεν, ὅτι ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη ἀφʼ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς ἐπαίρεται, καὶ ἀποστάσεις καὶ φυγαδείαι γίνονται ἐν αὐτῇ·
20And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
20Καὶ βασιλεῖς ἰσχυροὶ ἐγένοντο ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἐπικρατοῦντες ὅλης τῆς πέραν τοῦ ποταμοῦ, καὶ φόροι πλήρεις καὶ μέρος δίδονται αὐτοῖς.
21Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.
21Καὶ νῦν θέτε γνώμην, καταργῆσαι τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐκείνους, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη οὐκ οἰκοδομηθήσεται ἔτι· Ὅπως ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης
22See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?
22πεφυλαγμένοι ἦτε ἄνεσιν ποιῆσαι περὶ τούτου, μή ποτε πληθυνθῇ ἀφανισμὸς εἰς κακοποίησιν βασιλεῦσι.
23When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them.
23Τότε ὁ φορολόγος τοῦ Ἀρθασασθὰ βασιλέως ἀνέγνω ἐνώπιον Ῥεοὺμ βαλτὰμ καὶ Σαμψὰ γραμματέως καὶ συνδούλων αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν σπουδῇ εἶς Ἱερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἐν Ἰούδα, καὶ κατήργησαν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἵπποις καὶ δυνάμει.
24Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
24Τότε ἤργησε τὸ ἔργον οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἦν ἀργοῦν ἕως δευτέρου ἔτους τῆς βασιλείας Δαρείου βασιλέως Περσῶν.
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