Ezra 4:11

Contemporary English Version

This letter said: Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, we are your servants from everywhere in Western Province, and we send you our greetings.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This is the text of the letter they sent to him:

Hebrew Names Version
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artachshasta the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
(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

New Century Version
(This is a copy of the letter they sent to Artaxerxes.) To King Artaxerxes. From your servants who live in Trans-Euphrates.

New English Translation
(This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:) "To King Artaxerxes, from your servants in Trans-Euphrates:

Amplified Bible
this is a copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men in the region west of the [Euphrates] River; and now:

New American Standard Bible
this is a copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men of the region beyond the Euphrates River; and now

World English Bible
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto King Artahshashte, Thy servants the men beyond the Riuer & Cheeneth, salute thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now—

Berean Standard Bible
(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:

Complete Jewish Bible
(This is the text of the letter they sent him.) "To Artach'shashta the king from his servants the people beyond the River:

Darby Translation
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

Easy-to-Read Version
This is the copy of the letter sent to King Artaxerxes: From your servants living in the area west of the Euphrates River.

George Lamsa Translation
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him, even to Artakhshisht the king: Your servants the men on this side of the River, and at such a time.

Good News Translation
This is the text of the letter: "To Emperor Artaxerxes from his servants who live in West-of-Euphrates.

Lexham English Bible
this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River. And now,

Literal Translation
this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him, to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, and now,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And this is ye summe of the letter that they sent vnto kynge Artaxerses: Thy seruauntes the men on this syde the water and in Canaan.

American Standard Version
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.

Bible in Basic English
This is a copy of the letter which they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants living across the river send these words:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
This is the copie of the letter that they sent vnto king Artaxerxes: Thy seruauntes, and the men that are nowe beyond the water, and Cheeneth.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king--thy servants the men beyond the River--and now

King James Version (1611)
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,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
This is the purport of the letter, which they sent to him: Thy servants the men beyond the river to king Arthasastha.

English Revised Version
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men beyond the river, and so forth.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This is the saumplere of the pistle, which thei senten to the kyng. `To Artaxerses, king, thi seruauntis, men `that ben biyende the flood, seyn helthe.

Update Bible Version
This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your slaves the men beyond the River, and so forth.

Webster's Bible Translation
This [is] the copy of the letter that they sent to him, [even] to Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side of the river, and at such a time.

New King James Version
(This is a copy of the letter that they sent him) To King Artaxerxes from your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and so forth: [fn]

New Living Translation
This is a copy of their letter: "To King Artaxerxes, from your loyal subjects in the province west of the Euphrates River.

New Life Bible
this is what they said in their letter to him: "To King Artaxerxes, your servants, the men in the land on the other side of the River,

New Revised Standard
this is a copy of the letter that they sent): "To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the people of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This, is a copy of the letter which they sent unto him - unto Artaxerxes the king, - Thy servants, the men Beyond the River and so forth:

Douay-Rheims Bible
(This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him:) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting.

Revised Standard Version
this is a copy of the letter that they Sent--"to Ar-ta-xerx'es the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now

Young's Literal Translation
This [is] a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
this is the copy of the letter which they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men in the region beyond the River, and now

Contextual Overview

⁶ In the first year that Xerxes was king, the neighboring people brought written charges against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷ Later, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their advisors got together and wrote a letter to Artaxerxes when he was king of Persia. It was written in Aramaic and had to be translated. A letter was also written to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem by Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors, including the judges, the governors, the officials, and the local leaders. They were joined in writing this letter by people from Erech and Babylonia, the Elamites from Susa, and people from other foreign nations that the great and famous Ashurbanipal had forced to settle in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. This letter said: Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, we are your servants from everywhere in Western Province, and we send you our greetings. You should know that the Jews who left your country have moved back to Jerusalem and are now rebuilding that terrible city. In fact, they have almost finished rebuilding the walls and repairing the foundations. You should also know that if the walls are completed and the city is rebuilt, the Jews won't pay any kind of taxes, and there will be less money in your treasury. We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you. If you look up the official records of your ancestors, you will find that Jerusalem has constantly rebelled and has led others to rebel against kings and provinces. That's why the city was destroyed in the first place. If Jerusalem is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have control over Western Province. King Artaxerxes answered: Greetings to Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and to your advisors in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. After your letter was translated and read to me, I had the old records checked. It is true that for years Jerusalem has rebelled and caused trouble for other kings and nations. And powerful kings have ruled Western Province from Jerusalem and have collected all kinds of taxes. I want you to command the people to stop rebuilding the city until I give further notice. Do this right now, so that no harm will come to the kingdom. As soon as this letter was read, Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors went to Jerusalem and forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city. The Jews were forced to stop work on the temple and were not able to do any more building until the year after Darius became king of Persia. ⁸Later, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their advisors got together and wrote a letter to Artaxerxes when he was king of Persia. It was written in Aramaic and had to be translated. A letter was also written to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem by Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors, including the judges, the governors, the officials, and the local leaders. They were joined in writing this letter by people from Erech and Babylonia, the Elamites from Susa, and people from other foreign nations that the great and famous Ashurbanipal had forced to settle in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. ¹¹ This letter said: Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, we are your servants from everywhere in Western Province, and we send you our greetings. ¹² You should know that the Jews who left your country have moved back to Jerusalem and are now rebuilding that terrible city. In fact, they have almost finished rebuilding the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³ You should also know that if the walls are completed and the city is rebuilt, the Jews won't pay any kind of taxes, and there will be less money in your treasury. ¹⁴ We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you. ¹⁵ If you look up the official records of your ancestors, you will find that Jerusalem has constantly rebelled and has led others to rebel against kings and provinces. That's why the city was destroyed in the first place. ¹⁶ If Jerusalem is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have control over Western Province.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 21:8 - she wrote Ezra 3:3 - for fear Ezra 4:10 - at such a time Ezra 4:17 - at such a time Ezra 5:6 - copy Ezra 7:11 - the copy Ezra 7:12 - unto Ezra

Cross-References

Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake: "Because of what you have done, you will be the only animal to suffer this curse— For as long as you live, you will crawl on your stomach and eat dirt.

Genesis 4:14
"You're making me leave my home and live far from you. I will have to wander about without a home, and just anyone could kill me."

Genesis 4:15
"No!" the Lord answered. "Anyone who kills you will be punished seven times worse than I am punishing you." So the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn everyone not to kill him.

Genesis 4:16
But Cain had to go far from the Lord and live in the Land of Wandering, which is east of Eden.

Genesis 4:19
Lamech married Adah, then Zillah.

Genesis 4:20
Lamech and Adah had two sons, Jabal and Jubal. Their son Jabal was the first to live in tents and raise sheep and goats. Jubal was the first to play harps and flutes.

Genesis 4:26
Later, Seth had a son and named him Enosh. About this time people started worshiping the Lord .

Job 16:18
If I should die, I beg the earth not to cover my cry for justice.

Isaiah 26:21
The Lord will come out to punish everyone on earth for their sins. And when he does, those who did violent crimes will be known and punished.

Galatians 3:10
Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, "Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This is the copy of the letter they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king,.... Which Ezra brought with him from Babylon, and is contained in the five following verses:

thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time; this was the inscription of the letter, or the beginning of it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 11. And at such a time. — The word וכענת ucheeneth has greatly perplexed all commentators and critics. The versions give us no light; and the Vulgate translates it et dicunt salutem, "and they wish prosperity." Some translate it and so forth; and our translators supposed that it referred to the date, which however is not specified, and might have been as easily entered as the words and at such a time.

In our first translation of the Bible, that by Coverdale, in 1535, the passage stands thus: "And other on this syde the water, and in Canaan."

In that by Becke, 1549, it is thus: "And other on this syde the water, and in Ceneeth:" and in the margin he enters "or peace," "or health."

In Cardmarden's Bible, printed at Rouen, 1566, it stands thus: "And other that are nowe on thys syde the water."

In that printed by Barker, 1615, we find the text thus: "AND OTHER that are beyond the river, and Cheeneth;" on which is the following marginal note: "To wit, Euphrates: and he meaneth in respect of Babel, that they dwelt beyond it." And the note on Cheeneth is, "Which were a certain people that envied the Jews." All this is merely guessing, in the midst of obscurity; most of these having considered the original word כענת Ceeneth as the name of a people; and in this they follow the Syriac, which uses the word Acaneth.

Calmet thinks we should read ובעת ubaeth, "and at this time; " as if they had said, "We wish thee to enjoy the same health and prosperity at all future times, which thou dost at present." This is not remote from the meaning of the Chaldee original.