Study Desk

Everything Hezekiah did while he was king of Judah, including what he did for the temple in Jerusalem, was right and good. He was a successful king, because he obeyed the Lord God with all his heart.

because the Lord our God fights on our side. The Assyrians must rely on human power alone. These words encouraged the army of Judah.

"The Lord must be furious with me and everyone else in Israel and Judah, because our ancestors did not obey the laws written in this book. Go find out what the Lord wants us to do."

They praised the Lord and gave thanks as they took turns singing: "The Lord is good! His faithful love for Israel will last forever." Everyone started shouting and praising the Lord because work on the foundation of the temple had begun.

Many of the older priests and Levites and the heads of families cried aloud because they remembered seeing the first temple years before. But others were so happy that they celebrated with joyful shouts.

Later, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their advisors got together and wrote a letter to Artaxerxes when he was king of Persia. It was written in Aramaic and had to be translated. A letter was also written to Artaxerxes about Jerusalem by Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors, including the judges, the governors, the officials, and the local leaders. They were joined in writing this letter by people from Erech and Babylonia, the Elamites from Susa, and people from other foreign nations that the great and famous Ashurbanipal had forced to settle in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. This letter said: Your Majesty King Artaxerxes, we are your servants from everywhere in Western Province, and we send you our greetings. You should know that the Jews who left your country have moved back to Jerusalem and are now rebuilding that terrible city. In fact, they have almost finished rebuilding the walls and repairing the foundations. You should also know that if the walls are completed and the city is rebuilt, the Jews won't pay any kind of taxes, and there will be less money in your treasury. We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you. If you look up the official records of your ancestors, you will find that Jerusalem has constantly rebelled and has led others to rebel against kings and provinces. That's why the city was destroyed in the first place. If Jerusalem is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will no longer have control over Western Province. King Artaxerxes answered: Greetings to Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and to your advisors in Samaria and other parts of Western Province. After your letter was translated and read to me, I had the old records checked. It is true that for years Jerusalem has rebelled and caused trouble for other kings and nations. And powerful kings have ruled Western Province from Jerusalem and have collected all kinds of taxes. I want you to command the people to stop rebuilding the city until I give further notice. Do this right now, so that no harm will come to the kingdom. As soon as this letter was read, Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors went to Jerusalem and forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city. The Jews were forced to stop work on the temple and were not able to do any more building until the year after Darius became king of Persia.

We are telling you this, because you have done so much for us, and we want everyone to respect you.

For seven days they celebrated the Festival of Thin Bread. Everyone was happy because the Lord God of Israel had made sure that the king of Assyria would be kind to them and help them build the temple.

Because King Artaxerxes was so kind, Ezra said: Praise the Lord God of our ancestors! He made sure that the king honored the Lord 's temple in Jerusalem.

until time for the evening sacrifice. Many of our people were greatly concerned and gathered around me, because the God of Israel had warned us to stay away from foreigners.

We are slaves, but you have never turned your back on us. You love us, and because of you, the kings of Persia have helped us. It's as though you have given us new life! You let us rebuild your temple and live safely in Judah and Jerusalem.

You punished us because of our terrible sins. But you did not punish us nearly as much as we deserve, and you have brought some of us back home.

I answered, "Your Majesty, I hope you live forever! I feel sad because the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and its gates have been burned down."

But when Sanballat from Horon and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about what had happened, they became very angry, because they didn't want anyone to help the people of Israel.

I answered, "We are servants of the God who rules from heaven, and he will make our work succeed. So we will start rebuilding Jerusalem, but you have no right to any of its property, because you have had no part in its history."

by saying, "We have tried to buy back all of our people who were sold into exile. But here you are, selling more of them for us to buy back!" The officials and leaders did not say a word, because they knew this was true.

which said: A rumor is going around among the nations that you and the other Jews are rebuilding the wall and planning to rebel, because you want to be their king. And Geshem says it's true!

One day I went to visit Shemaiah. He was looking very worried, and he said, "Let's hurry to the holy place of the temple and hide there. We will lock the temple doors, because your enemies are planning to kill you tonight."

and to frighten me into doing something wrong, because they wanted to ruin my good name.

When our enemies in the surrounding nations learned that the work was finished, they felt helpless, because they knew that our God had helped us rebuild the wall.