Ezra 4:20
in Ezra 4And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.
KJV
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
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This verse in Ezra 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseBeyond the river - That is, the Euphrates. Both David and Solomon carried their conquests beyond this river. See 2Sa 8:3, etc., and 1Ki 4:21, where it is said, Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river (Euphrates) unto the land of the Philistines; and unto the borders of Egypt.
This site's exposition
mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem
on Ezra 4:20-22
Artaxerxes recalls that mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and received tribute, duty, and toll. On that ground he orders the officials to stop these men and the building until he gives the order. The decree is provisional, and later chapters make good on that when the work resumes.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Interpreted - It was written in the Chaldee or Syrian language, and in the Syrian character: for sometimes the Chaldee or Syrian words are written in the Hebrew character. Asnapper - Either Esarhaddon, or some other person of eminency, who was captain of this colony, and conducted them hither.
There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river,.... As David and Solomon; and the account of these they had in their records, see 2Sa 8:1 and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them; as appears from the places referred to; and this served to strengthen the insinuation made to the king, that if these people were suffered to go on building, he would lose his tribute and taxes in those parts.
Thus he says as they said, and pretends to give a reason for so doing. See the hard fate of princes, who must see and hear with other men's eyes and ears, and give judgment upon things as they are represented to them, though often represented falsely. God's judgment is always just because he sees things as they are, and it is according to truth.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Mighty kings ... - If this reference can scarcely have been to David or Solomon (see marginal reference), of whom neither the Babylonian nor the Assyrian archives would be likely to have had any account - it would probably be to Menahem 2Ki 15:16 and Josiah (2Ch 34:6-7; 2Ch 35:18).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּמַלְכִ֣ין | umalkhin | and kings | H4430 → | 180 times |
| תַּקִּיפִ֗ין | takifin | strong | H8624 → | |
| הֲווֹ֙ | havo | they were | H1934 → | 71 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5922 → | 104 times |
| יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם | yerushelem | Jerusalem | H3390 → | 26 times |
| וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין | veshalitin | and having mastery | H7990 → | |
| בְּכֹ֖ל | bekhol | over all | H3606 → | 82 times |
| עֲבַ֣ר | ʾavar | [the] region beyond | H5675 → | 14 times |
| נַהֲרָ֑ה | naharah' | river the | H5103 → | 15 times |
| וּמִדָּ֥ה | umidah | and tribute | H4061 → | 4 times |
| בְל֛וֹ | velo | tax | H1093 → | 3 times |
| וַהֲלָ֖ךְ | vahalakh | and toll | H1983 → | 3 times |
| מִתְיְהֵ֥ב | mityehev | [was] being paid | H3052 → | 28 times |
| לְהֽוֹן׃ | lehon | to them |
וּמַלְכִ֣יןand kings
umalkhinH4430 →180 times
תַּקִּיפִ֗יןstrong
takifinH8624 →
הֲווֹ֙they were
havoH1934 →71 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5922 →104 times
יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔םJerusalem
yerushelemH3390 →26 times
וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔יןand having mastery
veshalitinH7990 →
בְּכֹ֖לover all
bekholH3606 →82 times
עֲבַ֣ר[the] region beyond
ʾavarH5675 →14 times
נַהֲרָ֑הriver the
naharah'H5103 →15 times
וּמִדָּ֥הand tribute
umidahH4061 →4 times
בְל֛וֹtax
veloH1093 →3 times
וַהֲלָ֖ךְand toll
vahalakhH1983 →3 times
מִתְיְהֵ֥ב[was] being paid
mityehevH3052 →28 times
לְהֽוֹן׃to them
lehon
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 72:8May he rule from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates to the ends of the earth.
it leads to
- Exodus 23:31
And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the Euphrates. For I will deliver the inhabitants into your hand, and you…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Zechariah 9:10
And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war will be broken. Then He will proclaim peace to the nations. His dominion will extend…
- Exodus 23:31
Through
Genesis 15:18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
it leads to
- Joshua 1:3–4
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
- Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this…
- Genesis 13:15
for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.
- Deuteronomy 11:24
Every place where the sole of your foot treads will be yours. Your territory will extend from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Western Sea.
- Joshua 1:3–4
Through
1 Kings 4:21And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of…
it leads to
- Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 15:18
Where this verse is studied
About Ezra
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.