H9010–א/–a

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

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

then [ergänzt: wrote] 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 nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest [ergänzt: of the country] beyond 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 Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond 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 you are come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired 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 now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

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

Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not appropriate for us to see the king's dishonor, 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 records of your fathers: so shall you find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.

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 the walls finished, by this means you shall have no portion beyond the River.

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

[ergänzt: Then] sent the king an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest [ergänzt: of the country] beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.

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

The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.

נִשְׁתְּוָנָ֕א (א) ' “the”

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

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

There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [ergänzt: the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.

נַהֲרָ֑ה (ה) ' “the”

Make you now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me.

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

Take heed that you not be slack herein: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

חֲבָלָ֔א (א) ' “the”

Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to 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 who were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel [ergänzt: prophesied they] 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, helping them.

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

At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

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

Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were who were making this building.

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

But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, until the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

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

The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond 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 letter 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 built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

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