1 ¶ Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people who returned from captivity were building a temple to the LORD God of Israel;

2 They went to Zerubbabel, and to the clan leaders, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we have sacrificed to him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who brought us here.

3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the clan leaders of Israel, said to them, You can have no part with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves must build it for the LORD God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded.

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

5 And bribed the king’s agents, to keep them from carrying out their plans, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 ¶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, at the beginning of his reign, they wrote to him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 Later in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, wrote to Artaxerxes the king of Persia; and the letter was written in the Syrian language, and in the Syrian script.

8 Rehum the governor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes as follows:

9 At that time Rehum the governor, and Shimshai the scribe, were with others of their group; 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 peoples whom the great and famous Asnappar brought over, and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest of the countries west of the Euphrates river.

11 This now is a copy of the letter that they sent: To king Artaxerxes, from your servants the men west of the Euphrates river.

12 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are rebuilding that rebellious and evil city, they have repaired its foundations, and are rebuilding its walls.

13 Let it now be known to the king, that, if this city is rebuilt, and its walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, or custom, and the royal revenue will suffer.

14 Now because we are supported by the king, it does not seem proper for us to see the king suffer such dishonor, therefore we have sent this to inform the king;

15 That a search may be made in the records of your predecessors: in which you will learn that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it of old: that is why this city was destroyed.

16 We are telling the king that, if this city is rebuilt, and its walls finished, it will mean that you will have nothing on this side the river.

17 ¶ Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the governor, to Shimshai the scribe, to the rest of their group living in Samaria, and to others west of the Euphrates: Greetings.

18 The letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

19 And I gave an order, and a search was made, and it was found that this city in days past did rise up against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.

20 There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid to them.

21 Therefore order these men to stop, and keep this city from being rebuilt, until you receive further word from me.

22 Be careful that you do not fail 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 quickly went up to Jerusalem to the Jews, and used force to stop them.

24 Then the work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.