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Ezra 4:17-20 The Voice (VOICE)
Artaxerxes’ Reply (to Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the associates):
17 Loyal ones in Samaria,
Greetings. 18 Your letter was carefullyread and translated in my court, and I have addressed your concerns.
19 I issued a decree that my servants investigate the history of Jerusalem. They discovered that your fears are not unfounded. In the past Jerusalem has indeed rebelled and revolted against kings— 20 mighty kings who ruled Jerusalem, governed provinces west of the Euphrates, and required tributes, customs, and tollsfrom their subjects.
The Voice (VOICE) The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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17 Shimshai was most likely the scribe for the governor. So the reply would be told to by the governor to all those in the area he controlled which was Samaria and anything west of the Euphrates which included Israel.
18 So the governor had to make sure the letter was translated so that all those in his area could understand it, it does not help hearing anything if it can not be understood. He also had someone read it to him rather reading it himself, this was common for those leaders of the day.
19 Israel had caused what he referred to problems for other nations in the past, they conquered their land which involved them defeating other nations and bringing down kingdoms.
20 There was some great king of Israel they were allowed to be such because of their devotion to the Lord, David most likely grew the kingdom beyond the Euphrates because Solomon had a large kingdom when he became but there was a divide after Solomon’s reign and the kingdom would never be that big again.
Artaxerxes’ Reply (to Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the associates):
17 Loyal ones in Samaria,
Greetings. 18 Your letter was carefullyread and translated in my court, and I have addressed your concerns.
19 I issued a decree that my servants investigate the history of Jerusalem. They discovered that your fears are not unfounded. In the past Jerusalem has indeed rebelled and revolted against kings— 20 mighty kings who ruled Jerusalem, governed provinces west of the Euphrates, and required tributes, customs, and tollsfrom their subjects.
The Voice (VOICE) The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
These are my thoughts, please share yours.
17 Shimshai was most likely the scribe for the governor. So the reply would be told to by the governor to all those in the area he controlled which was Samaria and anything west of the Euphrates which included Israel.
18 So the governor had to make sure the letter was translated so that all those in his area could understand it, it does not help hearing anything if it can not be understood. He also had someone read it to him rather reading it himself, this was common for those leaders of the day.
19 Israel had caused what he referred to problems for other nations in the past, they conquered their land which involved them defeating other nations and bringing down kingdoms.
20 There was some great king of Israel they were allowed to be such because of their devotion to the Lord, David most likely grew the kingdom beyond the Euphrates because Solomon had a large kingdom when he became but there was a divide after Solomon’s reign and the kingdom would never be that big again.