When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates, they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem and forcibly stopped them. When the text of the letter from King Artaxerxes was readThis phrase indicates the authority and influence of the Persian king, Artaxerxes, over the region, including Jerusalem. Artaxerxes I reigned from 465-424 BC, and his decrees were binding across the vast Persian Empire. The reading of the letter signifies the formal and official nature of the communication, emphasizing the power of written royal edicts in the ancient world. This reflects the centralized control of the Persian administration and the importance of documentation in governance. to Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their associates
Rehum and Shimshai were local officials in the Persian administration, likely tasked with overseeing the affairs of the province that included Jerusalem. Their roles as governor and scribe, respectively, suggest a bureaucratic structure where local leaders were responsible for implementing the king's orders. This highlights the tension between the returning Jewish exiles and the local authorities who were often opposed to the rebuilding efforts. The mention of their associates indicates a group effort to enforce the king's command, reflecting the organized opposition to the Jewish community. they went immediately to the Jews in Jerusalem
The immediacy of their action underscores the urgency and seriousness with which they treated the king's decree. This reflects the historical context of opposition faced by the Jews from surrounding peoples who were threatened by the re-establishment of Jerusalem. The phrase also highlights the geographical proximity and the direct impact of Persian authority on the Jewish community. The Jews in Jerusalem were in the process of rebuilding the temple, a task that was central to their identity and religious practice. and forcibly stopped them
This action represents the culmination of the opposition's efforts to halt the rebuilding of the temple. The use of force indicates the intensity of the resistance and the lengths to which the local officials were willing to go to comply with the king's orders. This reflects the broader theme of spiritual warfare and opposition that God's people often face. The cessation of work on the temple was a significant setback for the Jewish community, yet it also set the stage for future prophetic fulfillment and the eventual completion of the temple under later Persian kings. This opposition can be seen as a type of the spiritual opposition faced by Christ and His followers, emphasizing perseverance and faith in the face of adversity. Persons / Places / Events 1. King ArtaxerxesThe Persian king who issued the decree to halt the rebuilding of Jerusalem. His authority was significant in the Persian Empire, and his decisions impacted the Jewish community's efforts to restore their city. 2. RehumThe commanding officer who, along with others, opposed the rebuilding efforts of the Jews. He played a key role in enforcing the king's decree. 3. Shimshai the ScribeAn official who assisted Rehum in communicating and implementing the king's orders. His role was crucial in the administrative process of halting the construction. 4. The Jews in JerusalemThe community striving to rebuild the temple and the city. Their efforts were met with opposition, reflecting the broader theme of perseverance amidst adversity. 5. JerusalemThe central place of worship and identity for the Jewish people. The rebuilding of Jerusalem was not just a physical task but a spiritual and cultural restoration. Teaching Points Understanding OppositionRecognize that opposition is a common experience for those seeking to fulfill God's purposes. Just as the Jews faced resistance, believers today may encounter challenges when pursuing God's will. The Role of AuthorityConsider how earthly authorities can impact spiritual endeavors. While respecting authority, believers must discern when to stand firm in their faith. Perseverance in FaithThe Jews' experience teaches the importance of perseverance. Despite setbacks, maintaining faith and commitment to God's calling is crucial. Community SupportThe Jewish community's collective effort underscores the importance of unity and support among believers when facing challenges. Divine TimingTrust in God's timing and sovereignty. The halt in construction was temporary, reminding us that God's plans will ultimately prevail. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the opposition faced by the Jews in Ezra 4:23 reflect the challenges Christians might encounter today when pursuing God's work? 2. In what ways can believers balance respect for earthly authorities with obedience to God's commands, as seen in the actions of Rehum and Shimshai? 3. How can the perseverance of the Jewish community in rebuilding Jerusalem inspire us to remain steadfast in our faith during difficult times? 4. What role does community play in overcoming opposition, and how can we apply this principle in our church or small group settings? 5. How can we trust in God's timing and sovereignty when our plans seem to be halted or delayed, as experienced by the Jews in Jerusalem? Connections to Other Scriptures Nehemiah 4This chapter also deals with opposition to the rebuilding efforts, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by the Jewish community and their reliance on God for strength and protection. Daniel 6Daniel's experience with opposition in a foreign land parallels the Jews' struggles in Jerusalem, emphasizing faithfulness amidst external pressures. Haggai 1The prophet Haggai encourages the Jews to prioritize the rebuilding of the temple, offering a divine perspective on the importance of their work despite opposition. People Ahasuerus, Apharesattechites, Apharesites, Apharsathchites, Apharsites, Archevites, Artaxerxes, Asnapper, Babylonians, Benjamin, Bishlam, Cyrus, Darius, Dehaites, Dehavites, Dehites, Dianites, Dinaites, Dinites, Elamites, Esarhaddon, Jeshua, Mithredath, Persians, Rehum, Shimshai, Shushanchites, Tabeel, Tarpelites, ZerubbabelPlaces Assyria, Beyond the River, Erech, Jerusalem, Persia, Samaria, SusaTopics Arms, Artaxerxes, Ar-ta-xerx'es, Associates, Caused, Cease, Colleagues, Companions, Compelled, Copy, Document, Force, Friends, Haste, Immediately, Jerusalem, Jews, King's, Letter, Power, Quickly, Reading, Rehum, Scribe, Secretary, Shimshai, Shim'shai, Stop, Stopped, StrengthDictionary of Bible Themes Ezra 4:23 5393 literacy
5519 secretary
7505 Jews, the Ezra 4:6-23 7560 Samaritans, the Library Building in Troublous Times
'Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 2. Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3. But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureThe Original Text and Its History.
1. The original language of the Old Testament is Hebrew, with the exception of certain portions of Ezra and Daniel and a single verse of Jeremiah, (Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26; Dan. 2:4, from the middle of the verse to end of chap. 7; Jer. 10:11,) which are written in the cognate Chaldee language. The Hebrew belongs to a stock of related languages commonly called Shemitic, because spoken mainly by the descendants of Shem. Its main divisions are: (1,) the Arabic, having its original seat in the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
The Median wars--The last native dynasties of Egypt--The Eastern world on the eve of the Macedonian conquest. [Drawn by Boudier, from one of the sarcophagi of Sidon, now in the Museum of St. Irene. The vignette, which is by Faucher-Gudin, represents the sitting cyno-cephalus of Nectanebo I., now in the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican.] Darius appears to have formed this project of conquest immediately after his first victories, when his initial attempts to institute satrapies had taught him not …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9 A Reformer's Schooling
'The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Ninth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.' Exod 20: 16. THE tongue which at first was made to be an organ of God's praise, is now become an instrument of unrighteousness. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour. God has set two natural fences to keep in the tongue, the teeth and lips; and this commandment is a third fence set about it, that it should not break forth into evil. It has a prohibitory and a mandatory part: the first is set down in plain words, the other …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Ezra 4:23 NIVEzra 4:23 NLTEzra 4:23 ESVEzra 4:23 NASBEzra 4:23 KJV
Ezra 4:23 Commentaries
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