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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Ezra 4:16

We certifie the king, that if this citie be builded againe, & the walles thereof set vp: by this meanes, thou shalt haue no portion on this side the Riuer.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Accusation, False;   Artaxerxes;   Bishlam;   Persia;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Slander;   Temple, the Second;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Samaritans;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra;   Samaria, samaritans;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Rehum;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Darius;   Haggai;   Persia;   Shimshai;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Exile;   Ezra, Book of;   Rehum;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Darius;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Language of Christ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ezra, Book of;   Rehum ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Artaxerxes;   Persia;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Epistles;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Certify;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Artaxerxes;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aramaic Language among the Jews;   Esdras, Books of;   Roads;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, you will not have any possession west of the Euphrates.
Hebrew Names Version
We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.
King James Version
We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
English Standard Version
We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."
New Century Version
We want you to know, King Artaxerxes, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls fixed, you will be left with nothing in Trans-Euphrates.
New English Translation
We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control of this portion of Trans-Euphrates."
Amplified Bible
"We are informing the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls finished, it will mean that you will have no possession in the province west of the [Euphrates] River."
New American Standard Bible
"We are informing the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, then as a result of this you will have no possession in the province beyond the Euphrates River."
World English Bible
We inform the king that, if this city be built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wee certifie the King therefore, that if this citie be buylded, and the foundation of the walles layd, by this meanes the portion beyonde the Riuer shal not be thine.
Legacy Standard Bible
We make known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls completed, as a result you will have no portion in the province beyond the River."
Berean Standard Bible
We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
Contemporary English Version
If Jerusalem is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have control over Western Province.
Complete Jewish Bible
We submit to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, you will soon lose possession of all territories beyond the River."
Darby Translation
We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Easy-to-Read Version
King Artaxerxes, we wish to inform you that if this city and its walls are rebuilt, you will lose control of the area west of the Euphrates River.
George Lamsa Translation
We inform the king that, if this city is built and its walls are set up, by this means you shall have no dominion on this side the River.
Good News Translation
We therefore are convinced that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, Your Majesty will no longer be able to control West-of-Euphrates Province."
Lexham English Bible
We make known to the king that if this city is built and the walls are finished, you will have nothing in the province Beyond the River."
Literal Translation
We notify the king that if that city is built, and its walls completed, then you shall have no portion Beyond the River.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Therfore do we certifie the kynge, that yf this cite be buylded, and the walles therof made vp, thou shalt kepe nothinge on this syde the water by the reason of it.
American Standard Version
We certify the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.
Bible in Basic English
We give you word, that if the building of this town and its walls is made complete, there will be an end of your power in the country across the river.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore do we certifie the king, that if this citie be builded againe, and the walles thereof made vp, thou shalt hereafter haue no portion beyond the water.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
We announce to the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.'
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
We therefore declare to the king, that, if that city be built, and its walls be set up, thou shalt not have peace.
English Revised Version
We certify the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the river.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
We tellen to the kyng, that if thilke citee be bildid, and the wallis therof be restorid, thou schalt not haue possessioun biyende the flood.
Update Bible Version
We inform the king that, if this city is built, and the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.
Webster's Bible Translation
We certify the king that, if this city shall be built [again], and its walls set up, by this means thou wilt have no portion on this side of the river.
New King James Version
We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.
New Living Translation
We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you."
New Life Bible
We are letting the king know that, if that city is built again and the walls are finished, you will own nothing in the land on the other side of the River."
New Revised Standard
We make known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
We do certify the king that, if, this city, be built, and, the walls thereof, finished, for that very reason, portion Beyond the River, shalt thou have none.
Douay-Rheims Bible
We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river.
Revised Standard Version
We make known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River."
Young's Literal Translation
We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"We inform the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, as a result you will have no possession in the province beyond the River."

Contextual Overview

6 And in the reigne of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reigne, wrote they vnto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem. 7 And in the dayes of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, vnto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. 8 Rehum the Chancellour, and Shimshai the Scribe, wrote a letter against Ierusalem, to Artaxerxes the king, in this sort: 9 Then, wrote Rehum the Chancellour, and Shimshai the Scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathkites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archeuites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehauites, and the Elamites, 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought ouer, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the Riuer, and at such a time. 11 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, 12 Be it knowen vnto the king, that the Iewes which came vp from thee to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem, building the rebellious and the bad citie, and haue set vp the walles thereof, and ioyned the foundations. 13 Be it knowen now vnto the king, that if this city be builded, and the wals set vp againe, then will they not pay tolle, tribute, and custome, and so thou shalt endammage the reuenue of the kings. 14 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, 15 That search may be made in the booke of the Records of thy fathers: so shalt thou finde in the booke of the Records, and know, that this City is a rebellious city, and hurtfull vnto Kings and prouinces, and that they haue moued sedition within the same of olde time: for which cause was this citie destroyed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

thou shalt have: Ezra 4:20, 2 Samuel 8:3, 1 Kings 4:24

Reciprocal: Ezra 6:8 - the king's Ezra 7:21 - beyond the river Nehemiah 2:19 - will ye rebel

Cross-References

Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voyce of the LORD God, walking in the garden in the coole of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselues from the presence of the LORD God, amongst the trees of the garden.
Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driuen me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid, and I shall be a fugitiue, and a vagabond in the earth: and it shall come to passe, that euery one that findeth me, shall slay me.
Exodus 20:18
And all the people saw the thundrings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountaine smoking: and when the people saw it, they remooued, and stood a farre off.
2 Kings 13:23
And the Lord was gracious vnto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect vnto them, because of his couenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast hee them from his presence as yet.
2 Kings 24:20
For through the anger of the Lord it came to passe in Ierusalem and Iudah, vntill he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Job 1:12
And the Lord said vnto Satan, Behold, all that hee hath is in thy power, onely vpon himselfe put not foorth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
Job 2:7
So went Satan foorth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Iob with sore biles, from the sole of his foote vnto his crowne.
Job 20:17
Hee shall not see the riuers, the floods, the brookes of hony and butter.
Psalms 5:11
But let all those that put their trust in thee, reioyce: let them euer shout for ioy; because thou defendest them: let them also that loue thy name, be ioyfull in thee.
Psalms 68:2
As smoke is driuen away, so driue them away: as waxe melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

We certify the king, that if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up,.... As it formerly was, and now attempted, as they suggest:

by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river; the river Euphrates; intimating that the Jews would not only shake off his yoke, and refuse to pay tribute themselves, but would seize on all his dominions on that side the river, and annex them to their own.


 
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