NOW when the adversaries of Yahudah and Binyamiyn heard that the children of the captivity built the Temple unto Yahuah Elohiym of Yashar'el;
Then they came to Zerubbavel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your Elohiym, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Ecar-Chaddon king of Ashshur, which brought us up hither.
But Zerubbavel, and Yeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Yashar'el, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our Elohiym; but we ourselves together will build unto Yahuah Elohiym of Yashar'el, as king Koresh the king of Persia has commanded us.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Yahudah, and troubled them in building,
And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Koresh king of Persia, even until the reign of Dareyavesh king of Persia.
And in the reign of Achashverosh, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Yahudah and Yerushalayim.
And in the days of Artachshashta wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tave'el, and the rest of their companions, unto Artachshashta king of Persia; and the writing of the cepher was written in the Aramiyth tongue, and interpreted in the Aramiyth tongue.
Rechum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a cepher against Yerushalayim to Artachshashta the king in this sort:
Then wrote Rechum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Diynaiym, the Apharcakayiym, the Tarpelayiym, the Apharcayiym, the Arkevayiym, the inhabitants of Babel, the Shushankiym, the Dahavaiym, and the Eylamiym,
And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Acnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Shomeron, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
This is the copy of the cepher that they sent unto him, even unto Artachshashta the king; Your servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
Be it known unto the king, that the Yahudiym which came up from you to us are come unto Yerushalayim, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so you shall endamage the revenue of the kings.
Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
That search may be made in the cepher of the records of your fathers: so shall you find in the cepher of the records, and know 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 destroyed.
We certify the king that, if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means you shall have no portion on this side the of river.
Then sent the king an answer unto Rechum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Shomeron, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
The cepher which ye sent unto us has been plainly read before me.
And I commanded, 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.
There have been mighty kings also over Yerushalayim, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me.
Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Now when the copy of King Artachshashta's cepher was read before Rechum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Yerushalayim unto the Yahudiym, and made them to cease by force and power.
Then ceased the work of the house of Elohiym which is at Yerushalayim. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Dareyavesh king of Persia.