BOOK 15 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Ezra 4

Ezra book home•Chapter 4 of 10•24 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Ezra 4 Overview

Opponents first offer to join the temple work, then work to frustrate it when their offer is refused. The chapter broadens the picture of hostility by recounting accusations and imperial correspondence from later Persian reigns as well. The immediate temple work remains stalled until the second year of Darius.

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24Verses

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Before you read Ezra 4

Coming from

Chapter 3 ended with the temple foundation laid and a loud but mixed public response of rejoicing and weeping.

In this chapter

The returned community faces organized resistance, political accusation, and official pressure that interrupts rebuilding.

Leads into

Chapter 5 shows the work restarting under the prophetic preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, followed by another official investigation.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Ezra 4 is not a simple day-by-day continuation from beginning to end. It begins with opposition during the temple rebuilding, then surveys related opposition in the reigns of Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes before returning to the earlier halt that lasted until Darius. Recognizing this arrangement prevents chronological confusion.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Opposition to faithful work can use both friendly language and hostile political pressure.

Truth 2

The leaders refuse partnership that would compromise the distinct commission Cyrus gave to the returned Jews.

Truth 3

Human opposition can delay the work, but it cannot finally cancel what God has purposed.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Haggai 1 explains the spiritual condition of the people when temple rebuilding had stalled and calls them to resume the work.

Connection 2

Nehemiah later faces similar accusations that rebuilding Jerusalem is political rebellion against Persia.

Connection 3

Second Kings 17 helps explain the mixed religious background of populations associated with the former northern kingdom.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not read every verse as occurring in strict chronological sequence; the references to Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes reach beyond the immediate Darius-era temple story.

Keep this clear 2

The refusal of cooperation is tied to this specific post-exilic worship and identity problem; it is not permission for hostility toward outsiders as an ethnic class.

Keep this clear 3

Political accusation in the chapter should be distinguished from actual rebellion; Ezra portrays the charges as tools of opposition.

Read Ezra 4 watching for…

How the adversaries first approach the returned leaders.

Why the offer of cooperation is rejected.

The change from attempted partnership to active obstruction.

The different Persian kings named in the chapter.

Where the narrative returns to the stopped temple work.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-5Adversaries offer to help and then work to hinder the rebuilding 6-16Accusations are written against Jerusalem during later Persian reigns 17-24The king orders the work stopped, and the temple work ceases until Darius

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

And hired counsellers against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,

And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

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.

Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

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.

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

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.

Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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Ezra 4:1

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