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Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Ezra 4:20

And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Artaxerxes;   Bishlam;   Persia;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Samaritans;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Aram;   Artaxerxes;   Ezra;   Samaria, samaritans;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Darius;   Governor;   Rehum;   Shimshai;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Darius;   Ezra, the Book of;   Haggai;   Persia;   Shimshai;   Taxes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Exile;   Ezra, Book of;   Rehum;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Darius;   Ezra, Book of;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Tribute, Toll, Taxing;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Custom;   Ezra, Book of;   Rehum ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Artaxerxes;   Persia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Per'sia;   Taxes;  

Encyclopedias:

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Powerful kings have also ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates River, and tribute, duty, and land tax were paid to them.
Hebrew Names Version
There have been mighty kings also over Yerushalayim, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
King James Version
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
English Standard Version
And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.
New Century Version
Jerusalem has had powerful kings who have ruled over the whole area of Trans-Euphrates, and taxes of all kinds have been paid to them.
New English Translation
Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.
Amplified Bible
"There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the provinces west of the [Euphrates] River, and tax, custom, and toll were paid to them.
New American Standard Bible
that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces beyond the Euphrates River, and that tribute, custom tax, and toll were paid to them.
World English Bible
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
There haue bene mightie kings also ouer Ierusalem, which haue ruled ouer all beyonde the Riuer, and tolle, tribute, and custome was giuen vnto them.
Legacy Standard Bible
that strong kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers in all the provinces beyond the River, and that tribute, custom, and toll were given to them.
Berean Standard Bible
And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
Contemporary English Version
And powerful kings have ruled Western Province from Jerusalem and have collected all kinds of taxes.
Complete Jewish Bible
also that there have been powerful kings over Yerushalayim who ruled all the territory beyond the River; and tribute, taxes and tolls were paid to them.
Darby Translation
And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.
Easy-to-Read Version
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.
George Lamsa Translation
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the River; and they thought nothing of the kings of the old time.
Good News Translation
Powerful kings have reigned there and have ruled over the entire province of West-of-Euphrates, collecting taxes and revenue.
Lexham English Bible
Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, duty, and tax has been given.
Literal Translation
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all Beyond the River. And tax, tribute, and forced labor were paid to them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
There haue bene mightie kynges also at Ierusale, which haue reigned ouer all that is beyonde the water, and toll, tribute and yearly custome was geuen vnto them.
American Standard Version
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.
Bible in Basic English
Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
There haue ben mightie kinges also at Hierusalem, which haue raigned ouer all countreys beyond the water: and toule, tribute, and custome was geuen vnto them,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.
King James Version (1611)
There haue bene mighty Kings also ouer Ierusalem, which haue ruled ouer all countreys beyond the Riuer, and tolle, tribute, and custome, was payd vnto them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And there were powerful kings in Jerusalem, and they ruled over all the country beyond the river, and abundant revenues and tribute were given to them.
English Revised Version
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all the country beyond the river; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for whi `and ful stronge kyngis weren in Jerusalem, which also weren lordis of al the cuntrei which is biyende the flood; also thei token tribut, and tol, and rentis.
Update Bible Version
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
Webster's Bible Translation
There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid to them.
New King James Version
There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the region beyond the River; and tax, tribute, and custom were paid to them.
New Living Translation
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem and the entire province west of the Euphrates River, receiving tribute, customs, and tolls.
New Life Bible
Powerful kings have ruled over Jerusalem, who ruled over all the lands on the other side of the River, and taxes were paid to them.
New Revised Standard
Jerusalem has had mighty kings who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, mighty kings, have there been over Jerusalem, and bearing rule everywhere Beyond the River, - and, tribute, excise, and toll, have been given to them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who have had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues.
Young's Literal Translation
and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem, governing all the provinces beyond the River, and that tribute, custom and toll were paid to them.

Contextual Overview

17 The king sent an answer: "To Rehum the commander and Shim'shai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Sama'ria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?" 23 Then, when the copy of King Ar-ta-xerx'es' letter was read before Rehum and Shim'shai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God which is in Jerusalem stopped; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

mighty kings: 1 Kings 4:21, 1 Kings 4:24, 1 Chronicles 18:3, Psalms 72:8

beyond: Ezra 4:16, Genesis 15:18, Joshua 1:3, Joshua 1:4

toll: 1 Chronicles 18:6, 1 Chronicles 18:13, 1 Chronicles 19:19, 2 Chronicles 9:14, 2 Chronicles 9:23, 2 Chronicles 9:24, 2 Chronicles 17:11, 2 Chronicles 26:7, 2 Chronicles 26:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:6 - kings Numbers 24:7 - his king Deuteronomy 15:6 - thou shalt reign Deuteronomy 19:8 - General 1 Chronicles 17:8 - made thee Ezra 6:8 - the king's Ezra 7:21 - beyond the river Nehemiah 5:4 - the king's tribute Lamentations 1:1 - great Ezekiel 16:13 - and thou didst Ezekiel 19:11 - she had Romans 13:6 - pay

Cross-References

Genesis 4:2
And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.
Genesis 4:4
and Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:5
but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:9
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis 4:10
And the LORD said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
Genesis 4:11
And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Genesis 4:12
When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth."
Genesis 4:21
His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Genesis 25:27
When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river,.... As David and Solomon; and the account of these they had in their records, see 2 Samuel 8:1

and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them; as appears from the places referred to; and this served to strengthen the insinuation made to the king, that if these people were suffered to go on building, he would lose his tribute and taxes in those parts.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mighty kings ... - If this reference can scarcely have been to David or Solomon (see marginal reference), of whom neither the Babylonian nor the Assyrian archives would be likely to have had any account - it would probably be to Menahem 2 Kings 15:16 and Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:6-7; 2 Chronicles 35:18).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. Beyond the river — That is, the Euphrates. Both David and Solomon carried their conquests beyond this river. See 2 Samuel 8:3, c., and 1 Kings 4:21, where it is said, Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines and unto the borders of Egypt.


 
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