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Friday, April 10th, 2026
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Ezra 4:11

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

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;   Rivers and Waterways in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Darius;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Language of Christ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes ;   Ezra, Book of;   Rehum ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Artaxerxes;   Assyria;   Letter;   Persia;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Artaxerxes;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aramaic Language among the Jews;   Esdras, Books of;   Poetry;  

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:
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.
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 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 Years later when Xerxes began his reign, the enemies of Judah wrote a letter of accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 Even later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, the enemies of Judah, led by Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeel, sent a letter to Artaxerxes in the Aramaic language, and it was translated for the king. 8 Rehum the governor and Shimshai the court secretary wrote the letter, telling King Artaxerxes about the situation in Jerusalem. 9 They greeted the king for all their colleagues—the judges and local leaders, the people of Tarpel, the Persians, the Babylonians, and the people of Erech and Susa (that is, Elam). 10 They also sent greetings from the rest of the people whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal had deported and relocated in Samaria and throughout the neighboring lands of the province west of the Euphrates River. 11 This is a copy of their letter: "To King Artaxerxes, from your loyal subjects in the province west of the Euphrates River. 12 "The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. 13 And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you. 14 "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. 15 We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors' records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it.

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
Then the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.
Genesis 4:14
You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!"
Genesis 4:15
The Lord replied, "No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.
Genesis 4:16
So Cain left the Lord 's presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech married two women. The first was named Adah, and the second was Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
Adah gave birth to Jabal, who was the first of those who raise livestock and live in tents.
Genesis 4:21
His brother's name was Jubal, the first of all who play the harp and flute.
Genesis 4:26
When Seth grew up, he had a son and named him Enosh. At that time people first began to worship the Lord by name.
Job 16:18
"O earth, do not conceal my blood. Let it cry out on my behalf.
Isaiah 26:21
Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed. They will be brought out for all to see.

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.


 
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