11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are (A)finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay (B)tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired.

Read full chapter

11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent him.)

To King Artaxerxes,

From your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

12 The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.(A)

13 Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty(B) will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.[a]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:13 The meaning of the Aramaic for this clause is uncertain.