Ezra 4:22

Easy-to-Read Version

Be careful not to overlook this matter. We should not let the building of Jerusalem continue. If that work continues, I will not get any more money from Jerusalem.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
See that you not neglect this matter. Otherwise, the damage will increase and the royal interests will suffer.

Hebrew Names Version
Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

King James Version
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

English Standard Version
And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"

New Century Version
Make sure you do this, because if they continue, it will hurt the government.

New English Translation
Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?"

Amplified Bible
"Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter. Why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?"

New American Standard Bible
"And beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should there be great damage, to the detriment of the kings?"

World English Bible
Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Take heede nowe that ye fayle not to doe this: why should domage grow to hurt the King?

Legacy Standard Bible
And beware of being negligent in doing this matter; why should harm increase to damage the kings?"

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

Contemporary English Version
Do this right now, so that no harm will come to the kingdom.

Complete Jewish Bible
Take care not to neglect your duty; otherwise the harm may increase, to the damage of the king."

Darby Translation
and take heed that ye fail not to do this: why should harm grow to the damage of the kings?

George Lamsa Translation
Take heed now that you fail not to do this, lest the damage should increase to the hurt of the king.

Good News Translation
Do this at once, so that no more harm may be done to my interests."

Lexham English Bible
And be careful not to be negligent on this matter. Why should damage grow to hurt kings?"

Literal Translation
And beware of being at fault, to act on this. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Take hede now that ye be not necligent here in, lest the kynge haue harme there thorow.

American Standard Version
And take heed that ye be not slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Bible in Basic English
Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Take heede now that ye be not negligent to do this: for why should the king haue harme there through?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?'

King James Version (1611)
Take heed now that ye faile not to doe this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
See that ye be careful of the decree, not to be remiss concerning this matter, lest at any time destruction should abound to the harm of kings.

English Revised Version
And take heed that ye be not slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Se ye, that this be not fillid necgligentli, and yuel encreesse litil `and litil ayens kyngis.

Update Bible Version
And take heed that you are not slack in this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Webster's Bible Translation
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

New King James Version
Take heed now that you do not fail to do this. Why should damage increase to the hurt of the kings?

New Living Translation
Be diligent, and don't neglect this matter, for we must not permit the situation to harm the king's interests."

New Life Bible
Be sure that you do this. Why should more trouble be given to the kings?"

New Revised Standard
Moreover, take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Beware, then, of failure to do thus, - wherefore should the damage increase, to inflict loss on the kings?

Douay-Rheims Bible
See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings.

Revised Standard Version
And take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?"

Young's Literal Translation
And beware ye of negligence in doing this; why doth the hurt become great to the loss of the kings?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Beware of being negligent in carrying out this matter; why should damage increase to the detriment of the kings?"

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ Then King Artaxerxes sent this answer: To Rehum the commanding officer, Shimshai the secretary, and all the people with them living in Samaria and other places west of the Euphrates River. Greetings: ¹⁸ The letter you sent us has been translated and read to me. ¹⁹ I gave an order for the writings of the kings before me to be searched. The writings were read, and we found out that Jerusalem has a long history of rebellion against kings. Jerusalem has been a place where rebellion and revolt has happened often. ²⁰ Jerusalem has had powerful kings ruling over it and over the whole area west of the Euphrates River. Their kings received taxes, customs, fees, and tribute. ²¹ Now, you must give an order for these men to stop work. That order must be given to keep Jerusalem from being rebuilt until I say so. ²² Be careful not to overlook this matter. We should not let the building of Jerusalem continue. If that work continues, I will not get any more money from Jerusalem. ²³ So a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes sent was read to Rehum, Shimshai the secretary, and the people with them. They went very quickly to the Jews in Jerusalem and forced them to stop building. ²⁴ So the work stopped on God's Temple in Jerusalem. The work did not continue until the second year that Darius was king of Persia.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

why should: Ezra 4:13, Esther 3:8, Esther 3:9, Esther 7:3, Esther 7:4

Reciprocal: Daniel 6:2 - and the

Cross-References

Exodus 25:3
Here is the list of the things that you should accept from the people: gold, silver, and bronze;

Numbers 31:22
You must put gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead into the fire and then wash these things with the special water to make them pure. If something can be put in the fire, you must put it in fire to purify it. If things cannot be put in fire, you must still wash them with the special water.

Deuteronomy 8:9
There you will have plenty of food and everything you need. It is a land where the rocks are iron. You can dig copper out of the hills.

Deuteronomy 33:25
Your gates will have locks made from iron and bronze. You will be strong all your life."

2 Chronicles 2:7
"Now I would like you to send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. He must know how to work with purple, red, and blue cloth. He will work here in Judah and Jerusalem with the craftsmen my father chose.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this,.... To put his orders into execution, and at once, without any loss of time, oblige the Jews to desist from rebuilding the walls of their city, which he was told they were doing, though a great falsehood:

why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings? of him and his successors, to be deprived of their toll, tribute, and customs, and to have insurrections, mutinies, and rebellions, in the dominions belonging to them.