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Ezra 4:16

Ezra 4:17-1964 bbe — Then the king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, a…

Bible in Basic English

17

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, Peace to you:

18

And now the sense of the letter which you sent to us has been made clear to me,

19

And I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there.

20

Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments.

21

Give an order now, that these men are to do nothing more, and that the building of the town is to be stopped, till I give an order.

22

Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage.

23

Then, after reading the king's letter, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their friends went quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and had them stopped by force.

24

So the work of the house of God at Jerusalem came to an end; so it was stopped, till the second year of the rule of Darius, king of Persia.

— Ezra 4:17-1964, Bible in Basic English

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Ezra 4 — Context

14

Now because we are responsible to the king, and it is not right for us to see the king's honour damaged, we have sent to give the king word of these things,

15

So that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: and you will see in the book of the records that this town has been uncontrolled, and a cause of trouble to kings and countries, and that there were outbursts against authority there in the past: for which reason the town was made waste.

16

We give you word, that if the building of this town and its walls is made complete, there will be an end of your power in the country across the river.

17

Then the king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, Peace to you:

18

And now the sense of the letter which you sent to us has been made clear to me,

19

And I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there.

20

Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments.

21

Give an order now, that these men are to do nothing more, and that the building of the town is to be stopped, till I give an order.

22

Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage.

23

Then, after reading the king's letter, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their friends went quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and had them stopped by force.

24

So the work of the house of God at Jerusalem came to an end; so it was stopped, till the second year of the rule of Darius, king of Persia.

Ezra 4:17-1964 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions

What does Ezra 4:17-1964 say?

Ezra 4:17-1964 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “Then the king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, Peace to you: And now the sense of the letter which you sent to us has been made clear to me, And I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there. Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments. Give an order now, that these men are to do nothing more, and that the building of the town is to be stopped, till I give an order. Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage. Then, after reading the king's letter, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their friends went quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and had them stopped by force. So the work of the house of God at Jerusalem came to an end; so it was stopped, till the second year of the rule of Darius, king of Persia.”

Where is Ezra 4:17-1964 in the Bible?

Ezra 4:17-1964 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezra, chapter 4, verses 17–1964.

Who wrote Ezra?

Ezra is traditionally attributed to Ezra (traditional). It was written c. 457–440 BC.

What is the book of Ezra about?

Ezra records the return of Judah from Babylonian exile in two waves — first under Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple, and second under Ezra himself to restore the Law. It is a story of restored worship and renewed obedience.

What are the major themes of Ezra?

Ezra explores themes including Return, Rebuilding the Temple, Restoration, Reform, Repentance. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ezra 4:17-1964.

What translation should I read Ezra 4:17-1964 in?

Ezra 4:17-1964 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.

How can I memorize Ezra 4:17-1964?

Ezra 4:17-1964 reads (BBE): “Then the king sent an answer to Rehum, the chief ruler, and Shimshai the scribe, and their friends living in Samaria, and to the rest of those across the river, saying, Peace to you: And now the sense of the letter which you sent to us has been made clear to me, And I gave orders for a search to be made, and it is certain that in the past this town has made trouble for kings, and that outbursts against authority have taken place there. Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments. Give an order now, that these men are to do nothing more, and that the building of the town is to be stopped, till I give an order. Be certain to do this with all care: do not let trouble be increased to the king's damage. Then, after reading the king's letter, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their friends went quickly to Jerusalem, to the Jews, and had them stopped by force. So the work of the house of God at Jerusalem came to an end; so it was stopped, till the second year of the rule of Darius, king of Persia.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.