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Monday, July 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Ezra 4:16

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."

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.'
King James Version (1611)
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.
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.
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 reign of Ahasu-e'rus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And in the days of Ar-ta-xerx'es, Bishlam and Mith'redath and Tab'eel and the rest of their associates wrote to Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 8 Rehum the commander and Shim'shai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Ar-ta-xerx'es the king as follows-- 9 then wrote Rehum the commander, Shim'shai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnap'par deported and settled in the cities of Sama'ria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, and now 11 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 12 be it 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 be it 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 impaired. 14 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, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste.

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 sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Genesis 4:14
Behold, thou hast driven me this day away from the ground; and from thy face I shall be hidden; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will slay me."
Exodus 20:18
Now when all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off,
2 Kings 13:23
But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them; nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
2 Kings 24:20
For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedeki'ah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Job 1:12
And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only upon himself do not put forth your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Job 2:7
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and afflicted Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
Job 20:17
He will not look upon the rivers, the streams flowing with honey and curds.
Psalms 5:11
But let all who take refuge in thee rejoice, let them ever sing for joy; and do thou defend them, that those who love thy name may exult in thee.
Psalms 68:2
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before 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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