EZRA
CHAPTER 4
Samaritans offer help, then hinder the work—Building of temple and of walls of Jerusalem ceases.
1 NOW when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin [ They were not on the side of Judah, they did not want the same things. ] heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
2 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 [ Here they ae leaning on their Israelite half, to make the point that we are just like you. They are using this half truth in order to forward their purpose - after all they have been defines as adversaries. They are offerring help in order to hunder the work. ] unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3 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 [ You have long since separated yourselves from us, you do not believe as we do even now. So we do not trust that your intent is real. We will do it ourselves. There appears to be some discernment here. ] 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.
4 Then the people of the land [ These Samaritans. ] weakened the hands of the people of Judah, [ We quickly see what their real intent was. How do they weakend the hands of the labors? ] and troubled them in building, [ Mocked them, ]
5 And hired counsellors against them, [ Usually counsellors just talk, so it would appear as if it is at least a constant war of words. Maybe challenge the building codes to slow the work down. I don't know. ] to frustrate their purpose, [ Which was to rebuild the temple. ] all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 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.
[ So the kings have been on the side of the people of Judah, so the idea here is to write to the kings and try to persuade them to change their opinion. Maybe if we provide enough volume of talking points the kings will reverse their decisions. See vs 12. ]
7 ¶ 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.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 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,
10 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.
11 ¶ 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.
12 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.
[ Suggesting to the king that he has no idea what is happen out here on the western edge of his empire. Trying to sow some concern in the mind of the king. This is not good new for you, our friend. Suggesting that the Israelites will not be good citizens as they will not be loyal. ]
13 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.
14 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;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: [ Go look at the old records, if you do you will find that they were not good citizens, as a matter of fact you will find things like we see in verse 19. ] 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.
16 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.
17 ¶ 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.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, [ They will overtake your government. ] and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 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.
[ Check your records and you will see that you had counter parts in Jerusalem. They acted on their own as a nation unto themselves, be aware. So the question we might ask did soloman require gifts when people sought his wisdom or did they do so freely. Either way it can look that the gifts were paid. So the enemies are trying to cherry pick different half truths together to use it against Israel and make them look rebellious. ]
21 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.
23 ¶ 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.
[ They got their attention to the point that the kings of Persia went there right away. After all if there is the basis for an insurrection going on then we better stop it sooner rather than later. So they in essence stopped the work only having one side of the story. How often in life does this happen? One party can halt the good works of another with just some unfounded vicious rumors. ]