Ezra 4:11

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

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 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,

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 reign of Ahasuerus, in his accession year, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. ⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated. Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows (then Rehum the royal deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the envoys, the officials, the Persians, the people of Erech, the Babylonians, the people of Susa, that is, the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River wrote—and now 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 may it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. Now may it be known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. 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, so that a search may be made in the annals of your ancestors. You will discover in the annals that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from long ago. On that account this city was laid waste. 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." The king sent an answer: "To Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now the letter that you sent to us has been read in translation before me. So I made a decree, and someone searched and discovered that this city has risen against kings from long ago, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. Jerusalem has had mighty kings who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. Therefore issue an order that these people be made to cease, and that this city not be rebuilt, until I make a decree. Moreover, take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?" Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and the scribe Shimshai and their associates, they hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. At that time the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped and was discontinued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. ⁸ And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated. Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows ⁹ (then Rehum the royal deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the envoys, the officials, the Persians, the people of Erech, the Babylonians, the people of Susa, that is, the Elamites, ¹⁰ and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River wrote—and now ¹¹ 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 ¹² may it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³ Now may it be known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. ¹⁴ 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, ¹⁵ so that a search may be made in the annals of your ancestors. You will discover in the annals that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from long ago. On that account this city was laid waste.

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
The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

Genesis 4:14
Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me."

Genesis 4:15
Then the Lord said to him, "Not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance." And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him.

Genesis 4:16
Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord , and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Genesis 4:19
Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

Genesis 4:20
Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock.

Genesis 4:21
His brother's name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe.

Genesis 4:26
To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord .

Job 16:18
"O earth, do not cover my blood; let my outcry find no resting place.

Isaiah 26:21
For the Lord comes out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no longer cover its slain.

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.