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Ezra 4:23

RehumShimshaiJerusalem

21 Now, therefore, issue an order for these men to stop, so that this city will not be rebuilt until I so order.

22 See that you do not neglect this matter. Why allow this threat to increase and the royal interests to suffer?

When 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.

24 Thus 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.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
When 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.
KJV
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.
WEB
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.
ASV
Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes` letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
DARBY
As soon as the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them cease by force and power.
BLB
Then from the time that the copy of the letter of King Artaxerxes [was] read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and made them cease by force and strength.
ÅB
Så snart avskriften av dette brev fra kong Artaxerxes var blitt opplest for Rehum og statsskriveren Simsai og deres embedsbrødre, dro de straks til jødene i Jerusalem og hindret dem med vold og makt.
OTB
Så snart kopien av kong Artaxerxes' brev ble lest for Rehum, Sjimsjai, skriveren, og deres medhjelpere, dro de i hast til Jerusalem til jødene og stoppet dem med makt.
B1930
Så snart avskriften av dette brev fra kong Artaxerxes var blitt oplest for Rehum og statsskriveren Simsai og deres embedsbrødre, drog de straks til jødene i Jerusalem og hindret dem med vold og makt.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Romans 3:15

    “Their feet are swift to shed blood;

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  • Ezra 4:8–9

    Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

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  • Micah 2:1

    Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.

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  • Proverbs 4:16

    For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

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  • Ezra 4:17

    Then 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.

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