Ezra 4:14

Easy-to-Read Version

We have a responsibility to the king. We don't want to see this happen, so we are sending this letter to inform the king.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Since we have taken an oath of loyalty to the king, and it is not right for us to witness his dishonor, we have sent to inform the king

Hebrew Names Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

King James Version
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;

English Standard Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,

New Century Version
Since we must be loyal to the government, we don't want to see the king dishonored. So we are writing to let the king know.

New English Translation
In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, we are sending the king this information

Amplified Bible
"Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not proper for us to witness the king's dishonor, for that reason we have sent word and informed the king,

New American Standard Bible
"Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king's shame, for this reason we have sent word and informed the king,

World English Bible
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe therefore because wee haue bene brought vp in the Kings palace, it was not meete for vs to see the Kings dishonour: for this cause haue we sent and certified the King,

Legacy Standard Bible
Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and made known to the king,

Berean Standard Bible
Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king

Contemporary English Version
We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you.

Complete Jewish Bible
Now, because we eat the king's salt, and it is not right for us to see the king dishonored, we therefore are sending to inform the king,

Darby Translation
Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

George Lamsa Translation
Now because we have eaten the salt of the palace, and it was not meet for us to see the kings dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

Good News Translation
Now, because we are under obligation to Your Majesty, we do not want to see this happen, and so we suggest

Lexham English Bible
Now since we eat the salt of the palace and the dishonor of the king is not proper for us to see, we send and make this known to the king,

Literal Translation
Now because we have eaten of the palace salt, and it is not right for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and notified the king,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But now that we all are therby which destroyed the temple, we wolde no longer se the kynges dishonoure. Therfore sent we out, and caused the kynge to be certified therof:

American Standard Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

Bible in Basic English
Now because we are responsible to the king, and it is not right for us to see the king's honour damaged, we have sent to give the king word of these things,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And now in the meane season we haue destroyed the temple, and woulde no longer see the kinges dishonour, therefore sent we out also and certified the king,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the king,

King James Version (1611)
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,

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it is not lawful for us to see the dishonour of the king: therefore have we sent and made known the matter to the king;

English Revised Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor we ben myndeful of the salt, which we eeten in the paleis, and for we holden it vnleueful to se the harmes of the kyng, therfor we han sent and teld to the kyng;

Update Bible Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and certified the king;

Webster's Bible Translation
Now because we have maintenance from [the king's] palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

New King James Version
Now because we receive support from the palace, it was not proper for us to see the king's dishonor; therefore we have sent and informed the king,

New Living Translation
"Since we are your loyal subjects and do not want to see the king dishonored in this way, we have sent the king this information.

New Life Bible
We are under the care of the king, and it is not right for us to see the king not being honored. So we have sent to let the king know.

New Revised Standard
Now because we share the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now, because the salt of the palace we have eaten, the impoverishment of the king, it is not meet for us to see, - therefore have we sent, and certified the king;

Douay-Rheims Bible
But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified the king,

Revised Standard Version
Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,

Young's Literal Translation
Now, because that the salt of the palace [is] our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now because we are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,

Contextual Overview

⁶ These enemies even wrote letters to the king of Persia trying to stop the Jews. They wrote a letter the year that Xerxes became the king of Persia. ⁷ Later, when Artaxerxes became the new king of Persia, some of these men wrote another letter complaining about the Jews. The men who wrote the letter were Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the other people in their group. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. ⁸ Then Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary wrote a letter against the people of Jerusalem. They wrote the letter to Artaxerxes the king. This is what they wrote: ⁹ From Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretary, and from the judges and important officials over the men from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, and Babylon, and from the Elamites from Susa, ¹⁰ and from the other people who the great and powerful Ashurbanipal moved to the city of Samaria and other places in the country west of the Euphrates River. ¹¹ This is the copy of the letter sent to King Artaxerxes: From your servants living in the area west of the Euphrates River. ¹² King Artaxerxes, we wish to inform you that the Jews you sent from there are now in Jerusalem. They are trying to rebuild that terrible city. The people there have always rebelled against other kings. Now they have almost finished repairing the foundations and building the walls. ¹³ Also, King Artaxerxes, you should know that if Jerusalem and its walls are rebuilt, the people of Jerusalem will stop paying their taxes. They will stop sending money to honor you. They also will stop paying customs fees, and the king will lose all that money. ¹⁴ We have a responsibility to the king. We don't want to see this happen, so we are sending this letter to inform the king. ¹⁵ King Artaxerxes, we suggest that you search the writings of the kings who ruled before you. You will see in the writings that Jerusalem always rebelled against other kings. It has caused much trouble for other kings and nations. Many rebellions have started in this city since ancient times. That is why Jerusalem was destroyed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

have maintenance: etc. Chal, are salted with the salt of the palace, Salt is reckoned among the principal necessaries of life - Ecclesiastes 39:26, or verse 31 hence, by a very natural figure, salt is used for food or maintenance in general. I am well informed, says Mr. Parkhurst, that it is a common expression of the natives in the East Indies, "I eat such a one's salt," meaning, I am fed by him. Salt was also, as it still is, among eastern nations, a symbol of friendship and hospitality; and hence, to eat a man's salt, is to be bound to him by the ties of friendship.

and it was: Ezekiel 33:31, John 12:5, John 12:6, John 19:12-15

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 5:14 - the bread

Cross-References

Genesis 4:5
But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry.

Genesis 4:6
The Lord asked Cain, "Why are you angry? Why does your face look sad?

Genesis 4:12
Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land. You will wander from place to place."

Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "This punishment is more than I can bear!

Genesis 4:14
You are forcing me to leave the land, and I will not be able to be near you or have a home! Now I must wander from place to place, and anyone I meet could kill me."

Genesis 4:15
Then the Lord said to Cain, "No, if anyone kills you, I will punish that person much, much more." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to show that no one should kill him.

Genesis 4:16
Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.

Genesis 4:20
Adah gave birth to Jabal. Jabal was the father of people who live in tents and earn their living by keeping cattle.

Genesis 4:24
The punishment for killing Cain was very bad. But the punishment for killing me will be many times worse!"

Leviticus 26:17
I will be against you, so your enemies will defeat you. These enemies will hate you and rule over you. You will run away even when no one is chasing you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace,.... Have posts under the king, to which salaries were annexed, by which they were supported, and which they had from the king's exchequer; or "salt" o, as in the original, some places of honour and trust formerly being paid in salt; hence, as Pliny p observes, such honours and rewards were called "salaries":

and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour; to see any thing done injurious to his crown and dignity, to his honour and revenues, when we are supported by him; this would be ungrateful as well as unjust:

therefore have we sent and certified the king; of the truth of what is before related; and, for the further confirmation of it, refer him to the ancient records of the kingdom, as follows.

o מלח "salem vel sale", Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis. p Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

We have maintenance - See the margin. The phrase “to eat a man’s salt” is common in the East to this day; and is applied not only to those who receive salaries, but to all who obtain their subsistence by means of another. The Persian satraps had no salaries, but taxed their provinces for the support of themselves and their courts.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace — More literally: Now because at all times we are salted with the salt of the palace; i.e., We live on the king's bounty, and must be faithful to our benefactor. Salt was used as the emblem of an incorruptible covenant; and those who ate bread and salt together were considered as having entered into a very solemn covenant. These hypocrites intimated that they felt their conscience bound by the league between them and the king; and therefore could not conscientiously see any thing going on that was likely to turn to the king's damage. They were probably also persons in the pay of the Persian king.