Ezra 4:7-16 Meaning: Artaxerxes and the Aramaic Letter
7In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.
8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.
9Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.
11This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.
12Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.
13Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
14Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,
15that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.
16We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.
7And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10And 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 at such a time.
11This 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.
12Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
14Now because we 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;
15That 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 hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
7And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian character, and set forth in the Syrian tongue.
8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
10and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth.
11This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.
12Be it known unto the king, that the Jews that came up from thee are come to us unto Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations.
13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings.
14Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15that 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 hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time; for which cause was this city laid waste.
16We certify the king that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, by this means thou shalt have no portion beyond the River.
7and in the days of Artaxerxes have Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions written unto Artaxerxes king of Persia, and the writing of the letter is written in Aramaean, and interpreted in Aramaean.
8Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe have written a letter concerning Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, thus:
9Then Rehum counsellor, and Shimshai scribe, and the rest of their companions, Dinaites, and Apharsathchites, Tarpelites, Apharsites, Archevites, Babylonians, Susanchites, (who are Elamites),
10and the rest of the nations that the great and honourable Asnapper removed and set in the city of Samaria, and the rest beyond the river, and at such a time:
11This is a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: `Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time;
12Be it known to the king, that the Jews who have come up from thee unto us, have come in to Jerusalem, the rebellious and base city they are building, and the walls they have finished, and the foundations they join.
13`Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length to the kings it doth cause loss.
14Now, because that the salt of the palace is our salt, and the nakedness of the king we have no patience to see, therefore we have sent and made known to the king;
15so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city is a rebellious city, and causing loss to kings and provinces, and makers of sedition are in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted.
16We are making known to the king that, if this city be builded and the walls finished, by this means a portion beyond the river thou hast none.'
7And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and interpreted in Aramaic.
8Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king after this sort:
9Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
10and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [of the country] on this side the river, and so forth.
11This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.
12Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from thee unto us have come to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and they complete the walls and join up the foundations.
13Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.
14Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
15that search may be made in the book of the annals of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the annals and know that this city is a rebellious city, which has done damage to kings and provinces, and that they have raised sedition within the same of old time, for which cause this city was destroyed.
16We inform the king that if this city be built and its walls be completed, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Meaning in one sentence
A letter written in Aramaic to King Artaxerxes accuses the Jews of rebuilding rebellious Jerusalem, aiming to stop the work.
Context
Ezra 4 records the opposition that met the returning exiles when they began rebuilding the temple. Verses 1, 5 describe earlier harassment, but here the enemies take a formal approach. They draft a letter to the Persian king, written in Aramaic the diplomatic language of the empire. The letter comes from officials living in Samaria, a region whose population had been resettled by Assyrian kings. They accuse the Jews of rebuilding Jerusalem, calling it a rebellious city that has historically harmed kings. The claim is designed to provoke the king into halting the work. The passage preserves the actual text of that letter, giving readers a raw look at how organized opposition works against God's people.
Key Words
Three words carry the weight of this passage. The first is letter (igrāh, H0104). This is more than a casual note. It is an official written accusation sent to the royal court. The word reminds us that opposition to God's work often comes through organized, documented channels. The second phrase is we have maintenance from the king's palace (literally “we are salted with the salt of the palace”). In the ancient world, eating a person's salt meant you owed them loyalty. The officials are saying, 'Our livelihood depends on the king, so we must protect his interests.' It reveals a heart motivated by fear of losing position. The third word is rebellious (mārād, H4779). It is the same root used for revolt. The enemies paint Jerusalem as a city of defiance, but the Jews were simply obeying Cyrus's decree. These words together show how self-interest and half-truths are often used to stop what God has started.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have differed on the identity of King Artaxerxes here. Some, like Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry, see him as Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. Others, following Barnes and the Cambridge Bible, identify him as the usurper Pseudo-Smerdis (Gomates), who reigned only seven months. Still others place the letter later, under Artaxerxes I Longimanus. The precise historical identity matters less than the pattern: opposition to God's people spanned multiple reigns. The note that the letter was written in Aramaic also highlights the wide use of that language in Persian administration. Many readers see in this passage a reminder that God's work is often met with political and legal schemes, yet He remains sovereign over human rulers.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is to take the enemies' description of Jerusalem as a fair report. The letter calls the city “rebellious and bad” as if it were a neutral fact. In fact, the accusation is propaganda. The city had been destroyed earlier because of its rebellion against Babylon, but the current rebuilding was authorized by the Persian king Cyrus. The letter twists history, omits the royal decree, and exaggerates the threat. In the same way, opposition today often mixes truth with distortion to stop good work.
Living This Out
This week you may find yourself or your church misrepresented. Someone might take a past failure and use it to question your present work. The officials in this passage did not start a direct fight; they went through official channels with a carefully worded lie. When that happens, you do not have to panic or immediately defend yourself. You can keep building what God called you to build. Also, examine your own motives. The phrase “we eat the salt of the palace” shows loyalty tied to personal benefit. Are you serving God for what you get, or because He is worthy? Let your loyalty be to God alone, not to the approval of any human power.
Main takeaway: God's work often faces slander and political schemes, but no human accusation can stop what He has decreed.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people sent a letter full of wrong things about God's people. They said Jerusalem was a bad city. But God's people kept working because they trusted God.
For ages 9, 12
The enemies of the Jews wrote a letter to the king. They said Jerusalem was dangerous and would stop paying taxes. They were afraid the Jews would become strong. The letter was partly true about the city's history but unfair because the Jews were only following God's command. The story teaches us that people sometimes twist the truth to stop God's work.
Questions People Ask
Why was the letter written in Aramaic?
Aramaic was the common language of diplomacy in the Persian Empire. Writing the letter in Aramaic meant the king's officials could read it immediately without translation. It also shows that the text of Ezra transitions from Hebrew to Aramaic for official correspondence, continuing through Ezra 6:18.
Who was Artaxerxes in this passage?
Scholars are not agreed. Some identify him as Cambyses, the son of Cyrus. Others think he was the usurper Pseudo-Smerdis, who ruled for seven months in 521 BC. The exact identity is less important than the pattern of opposition across several Persian kings, each called by a similar title.
What does 'we eat the salt of the palace' mean?
In the ancient Near East, eating someone's salt meant accepting their hospitality and owing them loyalty. The officials are saying, 'Our salaries come from the king, so we must protect his interests.' It reveals that their accusation was motivated by fear of losing their own positions.
Was Jerusalem really a rebellious city?
The city had a history of rebellion against empires like Babylon, which led to its destruction. However, the Jews were not rebelling against Persia; they were rebuilding under a decree from Cyrus. The letter uses a true past fact to make a false accusation about the present.
How does this letter fit with the rest of Ezra 4?
Ezra 4 shows opposition across three reigns. Verses 1-5 describe earlier harassment during Cyrus's reign. Verse 6 mentions a letter under Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Verses 7-16 are the longest example, a letter under Artaxerxes. Each attempt aimed to stop the temple work, but God's plan continued.
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