Study Desk

Now in the reign of ^(F1)(C1)Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the days of ^(F1)Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the ^(F2)text of the letter was written in Aramaic and translated ^(C1)from Aramaic.

^(F1)Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows—

^(F1)Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and ^(C1)the rest of their colleagues, the judges and ^(C2)the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,

and the rest of the nations which the great and honorable ^(F1)Osnappar deported and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the region beyond the Euphrates River. ^(C1)And now

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

let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding ^(C1)the rebellious and evil city and ^(C2)are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.

"Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, ^(C1)they will not pay tribute, custom tax, or toll, and it will ^(F1)be detrimental to the revenue of the kings.

"Now because we ^(F1)are in the service of the palace, and it is not fitting for us to see the king's shame, for this reason we have sent word and informed the king,

so that a search may be conducted in the record books of your fathers. And you will discover in the record books and learn that that city is a rebellious city and detrimental to kings and provinces, and that they have revolted within it in past days; for this reason that city was laid waste.

"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."