Ezra 4:11
in Ezra 4(This is the text of the letter they sent to him.) To King Artaxerxes, From your servants, the men west of the Euphrates:
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezra 4
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd at such a time - The word וכענת ucheeneth has greatly perplexed all commentators and critics. The versions give us no light; and the Vulgate translates it et dicunt salutem, “and they wish prosperity.” Some translate it and so forth; and our translators supposed that it referred to the date, which however is not specified, and might have been as easily entered as the words and at such a time.
This site's exposition
This is the text of the letter
on Ezra 4:11-13
The charge is specific. The Jews are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, and if the work goes on they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll. The accusers argue from the royal treasury, making a rebuilt wall a threat to Persian income.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
This is a copy of the letter, etc. Artaxerxes, who is persuaded, and who, being persuaded, commanded that Jerusalem should not be built, holds the figure either of some pagan ruler, certainly an enemy and persecutor of the Church, or of the ancient enemy of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
This is the copy of the letter they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king,.... Which Ezra brought with him from Babylon, and is contained in the five following verses: thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time; this was the inscription of the letter, or the beginning of it.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
This is the meaning of the letter and this is the interpretation of the letter.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And the rest of the nations and the rest of the nations that Sennacherib exiled; they have all concurred.
Let it be known to the king Let it be a known thing to the king.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| דְּנָה֙ | denah | this | H1836 → | 58 times |
| פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן | parshegen | [is] [the] copy of | H6573 → | 3 times |
| אִגַּרְתָּ֔א | ʾigarta' | letter the | H104 → | 3 times |
| דִּ֚י | di | which | H1768 → | 345 times |
| שְׁלַ֣חוּ | shelachu | they sent | H7972 → | 14 times |
| עֲל֔וֹהִי | alohi | to him | H5922 → | 104 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | to | H5922 → | 104 times |
| אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא | ʾartachshaste' | Artaxerxes | H783 → | 15 times |
| מַלְכָּ֑א | malka' | king the | H4430 → | 180 times |
| עַבְדָ֛ךְ | avdayikh | servant your | H5649 → | |
| אֱנָ֥שׁ | ʾenash | [the] man of | H606 → | |
| עֲבַֽר־ | ʾavar- | [the] region beyond | H5675 → | 14 times |
| נַהֲרָ֖ה | naharah' | river the | H5103 → | 15 times |
| וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃ פ | ukheenet | and now | H3706 → | 4 times |
דְּנָה֙this
denahH1836 →58 times
פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן[is] [the] copy of
parshegenH6573 →3 times
אִגַּרְתָּ֔אletter the
ʾigarta'H104 →3 times
דִּ֚יwhich
diH1768 →345 times
שְׁלַ֣חוּthey sent
shelachuH7972 →14 times
עֲל֔וֹהִיto him
alohiH5922 →104 times
עַל־to
ʾal-H5922 →104 times
אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּאArtaxerxes
ʾartachshaste'H783 →15 times
מַלְכָּ֑אking the
malka'H4430 →180 times
עַבְדָ֛ךְservant your
avdayikhH5649 →
אֱנָ֥שׁ[the] man of
ʾenashH606 →
עֲבַֽר־[the] region beyond
ʾavar-H5675 →14 times
נַהֲרָ֖הriver the
naharah'H5103 →15 times
וּכְעֶֽנֶת׃ פand now
ukheenetH3706 →4 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
About Ezra
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and W. F. Adeney, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther (Expositor's Bible).