H9010–א/–a

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

סָֽפְרָ֔א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,

סָֽפְרָ֔א (א) ' “the”דִּ֠ינָיֵא (א) ' “the”וַאֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵ֞א (א) ' “the”טַרְפְּלָיֵ֣א (א) ' “the”אֲפָֽרְסָיֵ֗א (א) ' “the”אַרְכְּוָיֵ֤א (א) ' “the”בָבְלָיֵא֙ (א֙) ' “the”שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”דֶּהָיֵ֖א (א) ' “the”עֵלְמָיֵֽא׃ (א) ' “the”

and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [supplied: of the country] on this side the river, and so forth.

אֻמַּיָּ֗א (א) ' “the”רַבָּ֣א (א) ' “great”וְיַקִּירָ֔א (א) ' “honorable”נַהֲרָ֖ה (ה) ' “the”

This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

אִגַּרְתָּ֔א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֑א (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֖ה (ה) ' “the”

Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from thee unto us have come to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and they complete the walls and join up the foundations.

לְמַלְכָּ֔א (א) ' “the”יְהוּדָיֵ֗א (א) ' “the”קִרְיְתָ֨א (א) ' “the”מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א (א) ' “rebellious”וּבִֽישְׁתָּא֙ (א֙) ' “<the>”וְשׁוּרַיָּ֣א (א) ' “the”וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א (א) ' “the”

Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.

לְמַלְכָּ֔א (א) ' “the”קִרְיְתָ֥א (א) ' “the”וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה (ה) ' “the”

Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;

הֵֽיכְלָא֙ (א֙) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֔א (א) ' “the”לְמַלְכָּֽא׃ (א) ' “the”

that search may be made in the book of the annals of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the annals and know that this city is a rebellious city, which has done damage to kings and provinces, and that they have raised sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed.

דָּכְרָ֨נַיָּ֜א (א) ' “the”דָּכְרָנַיָּא֮ (א֮) ' “the”קִרְיְתָ֨א (א) ' “the”עָלְמָ֑א (א) ' “antiquity”קִרְיְתָ֥א (א) ' “the”

We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

לְמַלְכָּ֔א (א) ' “the”קִרְיְתָ֥א (א) ' “the”וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה (ה) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֔א (א) ' “the”

The king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and the other places beyond the river: Peace, and so forth.

פִּתְגָמָ֞א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֗א (א) ' “the”סָֽפְרָ֔א (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֛ה (ה) ' “the”

The letter that ye sent to us has been read before me distinctly.

נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֕א (א) ' “the”

And I gave orders, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city of old time has made insurrection against the kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been raised therein.

קִרְיְתָ֣א (א) ' “the”עָֽלְמָ֔א (א) ' “antiquity”

And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.

נַהֲרָ֑ה (ה) ' “the”

Now give order to make these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until the order shall be given from me;

גֻּבְרַיָּ֣א (א) ' “the”וְקִרְיְתָ֥א (א) ' “the”טַעְמָ֥א (א) ' “the”

and take heed that ye fail not to do this: why should harm grow to the damage of the kings?

חֲבָלָ֔א (א) ' “the”

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

נִשְׁתְּוָנָא֙ (א֙) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֔א (א) ' “the”סָפְרָ֖א (א) ' “the”יְה֣וּדָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”

Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

אֱלָהָ֔א (א) ' “God”

Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [supplied: did they prophesy] to them.

נְבִיָּ֗א (א) ' “the”נְבִיַּיָּ֔א (א) ' “the”יְה֣וּדָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, who helped them.

אֱלָהָ֖א (א) ' “God”נְבִיַּיָּ֥א (א) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֖א (א) ' “God”

At that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?

זִמְנָא֩ (א֩) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֛ה (ה) ' “the”בַּיְתָ֤א (א) ' “the”וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א (א) ' “the”

And they said to them after this manner: What are the names of the men that build this building?

גֻּבְרַיָּ֔א (א) ' “the”בִנְיָנָ֖א (א) ' “the”

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease till the matter came to Darius; and then they returned answer by letter concerning it.

יְהוּדָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”טַעְמָ֖א (א) ' “the”נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֖א (א) ' “the”

The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were on this side the river, sent to Darius the king.

אִ֠גַּרְתָּא (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֗ה (ה) ' “the”אֲפַ֨רְסְכָיֵ֔א (א) ' “the”נַהֲרָ֑ה (ה) ' “the”מַלְכָּֽא׃ (א) ' “the”

They sent a report to him in which was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace!

פִּתְגָמָ֖א (א) ' “the”מַלְכָּ֖א (א) ' “the”שְׁלָמָ֥א (א) ' “the”כֹֽלָּא׃ (א) ' “all”

Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.

לְמַלְכָּ֗א (א) ' “the”מְדִֽינְתָּא֙ (א֙) ' “the”אֱלָהָ֣א (א) ' “the”רַבָּ֔א (א) ' “great”בְּכֻתְלַיָּ֑א (א) ' “the”וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּא (א) ' “the”