Ezra 4:5 net — They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia u…

NET Bible

"They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia."

— Ezra 4:5, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Ezra 4:5 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations

Ezra 4 — Context

2

they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them,“Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them,“You have no right to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the LORD God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

4

Then the local people began to discourage the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building.

5

They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

6

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7

And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. This letter was first written in Aramaic but then translated.[Aramaic:]

8

Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

Ezra 4:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ezra 4:5 say?
Ezra 4:5 in the NET Bible reads: “They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius of Persia.”
Where is Ezra 4:5 in the Bible?
Ezra 4:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezra, chapter 4, verse 5.
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 4:5.
What translation should I read Ezra 4:5 in?
Ezra 4:5 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 4:5?
Ezra 4:5 reads (NET): “They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius 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.
GodsGoodBook logo

GodsGoodBook

Making God's Word accessible to everyone

Experience the Bible like never before with multiple translations, powerful search tools, and features to make God's Word personal to you. Completely free, forever.

Features

15+ Bible Translations
Powerful Search Tools
Highlight & Annotate
Share Verses
100% Free Forever
© 2025 GodsGoodBookVersion 1.8.2