Ezra

建殿之工受阻

1犹大和便雅悯的敌人听说被掳归回的人为耶和华—以色列的 神建造殿宇，

2就去见所罗巴伯和以色列的族长，对他们说：「请容我们与你们一同建造；因为我们寻求你们的 神，与你们一样。自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常祭祀 神。」

3但所罗巴伯、耶书亚，和其余以色列的族长对他们说：「我们建造 神的殿与你们无干，我们自己为耶和华—以色列的 神协力建造，是照波斯王塞鲁士所吩咐的。」

4那地的民，就在犹大人建造的时候，使他们的手发软，扰乱他们；

5从波斯王塞鲁士年间，直到波斯王大流士登基的时候，贿买谋士，要败坏他们的谋算。

阻扰重建耶路撒冷

6在亚哈随鲁才登基的时候，上本控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。

7亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别，和他们的同党上本奏告波斯王亚达薛西。本章是用亚兰文字，亚兰方言。

8省长利宏、书记伸帅要控告耶路撒冷人，也上本奏告亚达薛西王。

9省长利宏、书记伸帅，和同党的底拿人、亚法萨提迦人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊迦人、底亥人、以拦人，

10和尊大的亚斯那巴所迁移、安置在撒马利亚城，并大河西一带地方的人等，

11上奏亚达薛西王说：「河西的臣民云云：

12王该知道，从王那里上到我们这里的犹大人，已经到耶路撒冷重建这反叛恶劣的城，筑立根基，建造城墙。

13如今王该知道，他们若建造这城，城墙完毕就不再与王进贡，交课，纳税，终久王必受亏损。

14我们既食御盐，不忍见王吃亏，因此奏告于王。

15请王考察先王的实录，必在其上查知这城是反叛的城，与列王和各省有害；自古以来，其中常有悖逆的事，因此这城曾被拆毁。

16我们谨奏王知，这城若再建造，城墙完毕，河西之地王就无分了。」

17那时王谕复省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党，就是住撒马利亚并河西一带地方的人，说：「愿你们平安云云。

18你们所上的本，已经明读在我面前。

19我已命人考查，得知此城古来果然背叛列王，其中常有反叛悖逆的事。

20从前耶路撒冷也有大君王统管河西全地，人就给他们进贡，交课，纳税。

21现在你们要出告示命这些人停工，使这城不得建造，等我降旨。

22你们当谨慎，不可迟延，为何容害加重，使王受亏损呢？」

23亚达薛西王的上谕读在利宏和书记伸帅，并他们的同党面前，他们就急忙往耶路撒冷去见犹大人，用势力强迫他们停工。

恢复重建圣殿工作

24于是，在耶路撒冷 神殿的工程就停止了，直停到波斯王大流士第二年。

1Now the enemies of Juda and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the Lord the God of Israel.

2And they came to Zorobabel, and the chief of the fathers, and said to them: Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do: behold we have sacrificed to him, since the days of Asor Haddan king of Assyria, who brought us hither.

3But Zorobabel, and Josue, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said to them: You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we ourselves alone will build to the Lord our God, as Cyrus king of the Persians hath commanded us.

4Then the people of the land hindered the hands of the people of Juda, and troubled them in building.

5And they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their design all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of the Persians.

6And in the reign of Assuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Juda and Jerusalem.

7And in the days of Artaxerxes, Beselam, Mithridates, and Thabeel, and the rest that were in the council wrote to Artaxerxes king of the Persians: and the letter of accusation was written in Syriac, and was read in the Syrian tongue.

8Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe wrote a letter from Jerusalem to king Artaxerxes, in this manner:

9Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe and the rest of their counsellors, the Dinites, and the Apharsathacites, the Therphalites, the Apharsites, the Erchuites, the Babylonians, the Susanechites, the Dievites, and the Elamites,

10And the rest of the nations, whom the great and glorious Asenaphar brought over: and made to dwell in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the countries of this side of the river in peace.

11(This is the copy of the letter, which they sent to him:) To Artaxerxes the king, thy servants, the men that are on this side of the river, send greeting.

12Be it known to the king, that the Jews, who came up from thee to us, are come to Jerusalem a rebellious and wicked city, which they are building, setting up the ramparts thereof and repairing the walls.

13And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.

14But we remembering the salt that we have eaten in the palace, and because we count it a crime to see the king wronged, have therefore sent and certified the king,

15That search may be made in the books of the histories of thy fathers, and thou shalt find written in the records: and shalt know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to the kings and provinces, and that wars were raised therein of old time: for which cause also the city was destroyed.

16We certify the king, that if this city be built, and the walls thereof repaired, thou shalt have no possession on this side of the river.

17The king sent word to Reum Beelteem and Samsai the scribe, and to the rest that were in their council, inhabitants of Samaria, and to the rest beyond the river, sending greeting and peace.

18The accusation, which you have sent to us, hath been plainly read before me,

19And I commanded: and search hath been made, and it is found, that this city of old time hath rebelled against kings, and seditions and wars have been raised therein.

20For there have been powerful kings in Jerusalem, who hare had dominion over all the country that is beyond the river: and have received tribute, and toll and revenues.

21Now therefore hear the sentence: Hinder those men, that this city be not built, till further orders be given by me.

22See that you be not negligent in executing this, lest by little and little the evil grow to the hurt of the kings.

23Now the copy of the edict of king Artaxerxes was read before Reum Beelteem, and Samsai the scribe, and their counsellors: and they went up in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and hindered them with arm and power.

24Then the work of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem was interrupted, and ceased till the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.