Ezra 4:13-24
EZRA 4:13
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.
Then what they do is hit a politician right where they
live and that is finances. They had
warned the king that if the city is rebuilt and the walls are set up again, then
they will be in a position to resist all attempts by the king to collect tolls,
tribute, or custom. These three
words take into account all the taxes which are levied against the people and
merchandise. The word “endamage”
means to “inflict damage, injure or suffer loss.”
If the king continues to allow them to rebuild, then his revenue stream
is in danger. This could also
trigger a revolt of the other nations to withhold all revenue.
EZRA 4:14
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;
These local leaders were paid from the king’s palace as
employees of the kingdom of Persia.
They thought it not proper to stand by and allow the king to be treated with
dishonor in this matter and therefore they have warned the king and also wanted
him to check the history of Jerusalem to confirm what they were saying was
correct.
EZRA 4:15
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.
Then they mentioned the historical records which were
kept and probably brought from Babylon where Judah had rebelled against the king
and refuse to pay tribute. They
already told the king what he would find but they wanted him to read it for
himself. He would probably read
about the rebellion of Zedekiah who refused to pay tribute and the Babylonian
king had him blinded but not before seeing the death of his children.
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah
before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of
brass, and carried him to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:7)
Then they stated that the reason the
city was destroyed by Babylon was because of their sedition.
EZRA 4:16
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.
They certified or made known to the king that if he
allowed them to complete their project, then his kingdom would be shortened
because he would have no extended kingdom west of the Euphrates River because it
would serve as a catalyst for other nations to consider rebelling against the
king. Of course, this letter was a
complete lie and had no basis in fact.
EZRA 4:17
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.
Then the king responded to their letter and sent an
answer to Rehum and Shimshai the scribe.
He also sent a copy of his letter to his representatives who were living
in Samaria and also the other countries or provinces beyond the Euphrates River.
He bid them peace which was another way of bidding them health and
prosperity at the present time.
EZRA 4:18
The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read
before me.
The letter which they sent to the king was plainly read
before him so there would be no misunderstanding of the contents within the
letter.
EZRA 4:19
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.
Then the king had a search made of all the old records
which probably included the records from both Assyria and Babylon.
They found exactly what they were told they would find but it was not a
long period of time, the records probably recorded the rebellions of Zedekiah
and Jehoiakim and were probably written in such a way that it made it sound like
Judah had mounted major military campaigns against Nebuchadnezzar.
EZRA 4:20
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.
No doubt the kings in view were David and Solomon but
that would have been close to 500 years prior before the kingdom of Israel was
divided. Many kings paid tribute
and gave gifts unto Solomon but they were gifts of friendship because Solomon
was not at war with any of them.
The ones who wrote the letter was counting on the fact that the king would make
a connection between centuries old history and the present situation and would
stop the building of the temple and the repair of the city.
EZRA 4:21
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.
So on a temporary basis the king ordered the men of Judah
to stop building the city until the king could issue another commandment
concerning this situation. He
probably suspected that he did not receive all the information to make an
informed decision and halted the project until further notice.
EZRA 4:22
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should
damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
As soon as they received the commandment from the king
for the work to cease, they were to put that into effect immediately.
The king did not want to take a chance losing any of his tolls and
tribute money which would also be important to his successors.
The king did not want to take a chance of having to quell a rebellion
because the seeds of rebellion could spread all over his extended kingdom.
EZRA 4:23
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.
As soon as they read the copy of the letter from
Artaxerxes, it was immediately read unto Rehum and Shimshai.
Then they quickly went up to Jerusalem unto the Jews and made them cease
the work on the temple and the city.
They had compelled the Jews to stop working by bringing with them
probably a company of soldiers enforcing the reality that they had the power to
make them stop if they didn’t voluntarily stop the work.
EZRA 4:24
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.