These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
BIBLES
King James Version (1769 Pure Cambridge Edition) and JPS Tanakh (1917).
Both texts are in the public domain. Some original names have been restored
Ezra 4
Tanakh 24 verses
- 1 Now when the adversaries of and heard that the children of the captivity were building a unto , the of ;
- 2 then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ houses, and said unto them: ‘Let us build with you; for we seek your , as ye do; and we do unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon of , who brought us up hither.’
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3
But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses of , said unto them: ‘Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our ; but we ourselves together will build unto , the of , as Cyrus the of Persia hath commanded us.’
Cross references (10)
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4
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of , and harried them while they were building,
Cross references (6)
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5
and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus of Persia, even until the reign of Darius of Persia.
Cross references (5)
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6
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they an accusation against the inhabitants of and .
Cross references (7)
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7
And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Aramaic character, and set forth in the Aramaic tongue.
Cross references (6)
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8
Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against to Artaxerxes the in this sort—
Cross references (4)
- 9 then wrote Rehum the commander, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinites, and the Apharesattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehites, the Elamites,
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10
and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asenappar brought over, and set in the city of , and the rest that are in the country beyond the River:—’And now—
Cross references (6)
- 11 this is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the —thy servants the men beyond the River—and now
- 12 be it known unto the , that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto ; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and are digging out the foundations.
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13
Be it known now unto the , that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Cross references (8)
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14
Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and announced to the ,
Cross references (3)
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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 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 laid waste.
Cross references (9)
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16
We announce to the that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.’
Cross references (3)
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17
Then sent the an answer unto Rehum the commander, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in , and unto the rest beyond the River: ‘Peace, and now
Cross references (7)
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18
the letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
Cross references (1)
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19
And I decreed, 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.
Cross references (7)
- 20 There have been mighty kings also over , who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, impost, and toll, was paid unto them.
- 21 Make ye now a decree to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until a decree shall be made by me.
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22
And take heed that ye be not slack herein; why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?’
Cross references (3)
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23
Then when the copy of Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Cross references (5)
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24
Then ceased the work of the house of which is at ; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius of Persia.
Cross references (7)