Ezra Chapter 4 KJV

1The adversaries of the Jews offering to join in building the temple, and being rejected, endeavour to hinder the work. 7They write to Artaxerxes. 11The copy of their letter. 17The answer of Artaxerxes, and his decree to stop the progress of the work. 23The building is suspended for a time.
1 Now when the 1adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that athe children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
2 Then they came to 1Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, 2Let us build with you: for we 3seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of 4Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, 1Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as 2king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
4 Then the people of the land 1weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
6 And in the reign of aAhasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
7 ¶ And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote aBishlam, 1Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their bcompanions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written 2in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the ascribe wrote a letter 1against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their acompanions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and aat such a time.
11 ¶ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building 1the rebellious and the bad city, and 2have aset up the walls thereof, and bjoined the foundations.
13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not apay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the brevenue of the kings.
14 Now because awe have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
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 know that this city is a rebellious city, and 1hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have amoved sedition bwithin the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means 1thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their acompanions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And aI commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath bmade insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 There 1have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
21 aGive ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
23 ¶ Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease aby force and power.
24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.