EZRA 4 Parallel KJV
and 1611 King James Version

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KING JAMES VERSION (KJV)


1  Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

2  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 Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

3  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.

4  Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5  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.

6  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.

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 a 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, the Dehavites, 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, building 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 me.

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 to cause 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.

24  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.

  X


1  Now when the aduersaries of Iudah and Beniamin, heard that the children of the captiuitie builded the Temple vnto the Lord God of Israel:

2  Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefe of the fathers, and said vnto them, Let vs build with you, for wee seeke your God, as yee doe, and we doe sacrifice vnto him, since the dayes of Esar-Haddon king of Assur, which brought vs vp hither.

3  But Zerubbabel and Ieshua, and the rest of the chiefe of the fathers of Israel, said vnto them, You haue nothing to doe with vs, to build an house vnto our God, but we our selues together will build vnto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the King of Persia hath commanded vs.

4  Then the people of the land weakened the handes of the people of Iudah, and troubled them in building,

5  And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the dayes of Cyrus king of Persia, euen vntill the reigne of Darius king of Persia.

6  And in the reigne of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reigne, wrote they vnto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem.

7  ¶ And in the dayes of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, vnto 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 Chancellour, and Shimshai the Scribe, wrote a letter against Ierusalem, to Artaxerxes the king, in this sort:

9  Then, wrote Rehum the Chancellour, and Shimshai the Scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathkites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archeuites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehauites, and the Elamites,

10  And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the Riuer, and at such a time.

11  ¶ This is the copy of the Letter, that they sent vnto him, euen vnto Artaxerxes the king: Thy seruants on this side the Riuer, and at such a time,

12  Be it knowen vnto the king, that the Iewes which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem, building the rebellious and the bad citie, and haue set vp the walles thereof, and ioyned the foundations.

13  Be it knowen now vnto the king, that if this city be builded, and the wals set vp againe, then will they not pay tolle, tribute, and custome, and so thou shalt endammage the reuenue of the kings.

14  Now because we haue maintenance from the Kings palace, and it was not meete for vs to see the kings dishonour: therefore haue we sent, and certified the king,

15  That search may be made in the booke of the Records of thy fathers: so shalt thou finde in the booke of the Records, and know, that this City is a rebellious city, and hurtfull vnto Kings and prouinces, and that they haue moued sedition within the same of olde time: for which cause was this citie destroyed.

16  We certifie the king, that if this citie be builded againe, & the walles thereof set vp: by this meanes, thou shalt haue no portion on this side the Riuer.

17  ¶ Then sent the king an answere vnto Rehum the Chancellour, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions, that dwell in Samaria, and vnto the rest beyond the Riuer, Peace, and at such a time.

18  The letter, which ye sent vnto vs, hath bene plainly read before me.

19  And I commaunded, and search hath bene made, and it is found, that this citie of old time hath made insurrection against Kings, and that rebellion & sedition haue bene made therein.

20  There haue bene mighty Kings also ouer Ierusalem, which haue ruled ouer all countreys beyond the Riuer, and tolle, tribute, and custome, was payd vnto them.

21  Giue ye now commandement, to cause these men to cease, and that this citie be not builded, vntill another commandement shall be giuen from me.

22  Take heed now that ye faile not to doe 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 vp in haste to Ierusalem, vnto the Iewes, and made them to cease, by force and power.

24  Then ceased the woorke of the house of the God, which is at Ierusalem. So it ceased, vnto the second yeere of the reigne of Darius king of Persia.