Ezra 4:5

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Ezra 4:3–7 · Berean Standard Bible

3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.

5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated.

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Psalms 2:1

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

Psalms 2:2

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One:

Nahum 1:11

From you, O Nineveh, comes forth a plotter of evil against the LORD, a counselor of wickedness.

Acts 24:1

Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, who presented to the governor their case against Paul.

Acts 24:2

When Paul had been called in, Tertullus opened the prosecution: “Because of you, we have enjoyed a lasting peace, and your foresight has brought improvements to this nation.

Acts 24:3

In every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with all gratitude.

Acts 24:4

But in order not to burden you any further, I beg your indulgence to hear us briefly.

Acts 24:5

We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,

Acts 24:6

and he even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him.

Acts 24:8

By examining him yourself, you will be able to learn the truth about all our charges against him.”

Acts 24:9

The Jews concurred, asserting that these charges were true.

Acts 24:10

When the governor motioned for Paul to speak, he began his response: “Knowing that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, I gladly make my defense.

Acts 24:11

You can verify for yourself that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.

Acts 24:12

Yet my accusers did not find me debating with anyone in the temple or riling up a crowd in the synagogues or in the city.

Acts 24:13

Nor can they prove to you any of their charges against me.

Acts 24:14

I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,

Acts 24:15

and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

Acts 24:16

In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.

Acts 24:17

After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings.

Acts 24:18

At the time they found me in the temple, I was ceremonially clean and was not inciting a crowd or an uproar. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia

Acts 24:19

who ought to appear before you and bring charges, if they have anything against me.

Acts 24:20

Otherwise, let these men state for themselves any crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin,

Acts 24:21

unless it was this one thing I called out as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

Acts 24:22

Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “When Lysias the commander comes, I will decide your case.”

Acts 24:23

He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard, but to allow him some freedom and permit his friends to minister to his needs.

Acts 24:24

After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.

Acts 24:25

As Paul expounded on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “You may go for now. When I find the time, I will call for you.”

Acts 24:26

At the same time, he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe. So he sent for Paul frequently and talked with him.

Acts 24:27

After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison.

Ezra 4:24

Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 5:5

But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, so that they were not stopped until a report was sent to Darius and written instructions about this matter were returned.

Ezra 5:6

This is the text of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates, the officials in the region, sent to King Darius.

Ezra 5:7

The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: All peace.

Ezra 5:8

Let it be known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. The people are rebuilding it with large stones, and placing timbers in the walls. This work is being carried out diligently and is prospering in their hands.

Ezra 5:9

So we questioned the elders and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?”

Ezra 5:10

We also asked for their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

Ezra 5:11

And this is the answer they returned: “We are servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.

Ezra 5:12

But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.

Ezra 5:13

In his first year, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.

Ezra 5:14

He also removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles belonging to the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and carried there from the temple in Jerusalem. King Cyrus gave these articles to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor

Ezra 5:15

and instructed, ‘Take these articles, put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its original site.’

Ezra 5:16

So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been under construction, but it has not yet been completed.”

Ezra 5:17

Now, therefore, if it pleases the king, let a search be made of the royal archives in Babylon to see if King Cyrus did indeed issue a decree to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.

Ezra 6:1

Thus King Darius ordered a search of the archives stored in the treasury of Babylon.

Ezra 6:2

And a scroll was found in the fortress of Ecbatana, in the province of Media, with the following written on it: Memorandum:

Ezra 6:3

In the first year of King Cyrus, he issued a decree concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as a place for offering sacrifices, and let its foundations be firmly laid. It is to be sixty cubits high and sixty cubits wide,

Ezra 6:4

with three layers of cut stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid from the royal treasury.

Ezra 6:5

Furthermore, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, must also be returned to the temple in Jerusalem and deposited in the house of God.

Ezra 6:6

Therefore Darius decreed: To Tattenai governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates and officials in the region: You must stay away from that place!

Ezra 6:7

Leave this work on the house of God alone. Let the governor and elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its original site.

Ezra 6:8

I hereby decree what you must do for these elders of the Jews who are rebuilding this house of God: The cost is to be paid in full to these men from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces west of the Euphrates, so that the work will not be hindered.

Ezra 6:9

Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, as well as wheat, salt, wine, and oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given to them daily without fail.

Ezra 6:10

Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons.

Ezra 6:11

I also decree that if any man interferes with this directive, a beam is to be torn from his house and raised up, and he is to be impaled on it. And his own house shall be made a pile of rubble for this offense.

Ezra 6:12

May God, who has caused His Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to alter this decree or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have issued the decree. Let it be carried out with diligence.

Ezra 6:13

In response, Tattenai the governor of the region west of the Euphrates, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates diligently carried out what King Darius had decreed.

Ezra 6:14

So the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.

Ezra 6:15

And this temple was completed on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

Ezra 6:16

Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.

Ezra 6:17

For the dedication of the house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and a sin offering for all Israel of twelve male goats, one for each tribe of Israel.

Ezra 6:18

They also appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their groups to the service of God in Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.