Ezra 4:12 kjv
Be 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.
Ezra 4:12 nkjv
Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem, and are building the rebellious and evil city, and are finishing its walls and repairing the foundations.
Ezra 4:12 niv
The king should know that the people who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem and are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are restoring the walls and repairing the foundations.
Ezra 4:12 esv
be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
Ezra 4:12 nlt
"The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls.
Ezra 4 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Neh 4:7-8 | "when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward...they all conspired together..." | Opposition to rebuilding city walls. |
| Neh 6:5-7 | "Then Sanballat sent his servant to me...and in it was written: 'It is reported among the nations...that you and the Jews intend to rebel...'" | False accusations of rebellion against builders. |
| Acts 19:8-9 | "he spoke boldly for three months, debating and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them..." | Opposition to God's work, slandering the message. |
| Lk 6:22 | "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil..." | Persecution and slander against God's followers. |
| Ps 2:1-2 | "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed..." | Earthly powers opposing God's chosen ones/purposes. |
| Mt 5:11-12 | "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." | Blessing for enduring false accusations for Christ. |
| Jn 15:18-20 | "If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you." | Believers facing hatred as Christ did. |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." | Persecution as a consistent reality for the godly. |
| Prov 6:16-19 | "...a lying tongue...a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers." | God detests those who lie and sow discord, similar to the adversaries. |
| Ps 35:11 | "Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know." | Unjust accusations from malicious sources. |
| Mt 26:59-60 | "Now the chief priests and the whole Council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death..." | False witnesses used against Jesus, a clear parallel to slander. |
| 1 Pet 2:12 | "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God..." | Bearing witness through good conduct despite false accusations. |
| Jer 38:5 | "So King Zedekiah said, 'He is in your hands, for the king can do nothing against you.'" | Kings historically yielded to pressure concerning Jerusalem/prophets. |
| 2 Kgs 24:20 | "For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence." | Jerusalem's history of rebellion led to divine judgment and exile. |
| Ezek 22:3-4 | "Thus says the Lord GOD: A city that sheds blood in her midst, that her time may come, and that makes idols, defiling herself!" | Jerusalem's sinfulness and rebellion described by a prophet. |
| Is 1:5-6 | "Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint." | Israel/Jerusalem's persistent rebellion lamented by Isaiah. |
| Jer 5:23 | "But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away." | Judah's inherent rebellion highlighted. |
| Neh 4:15 | "When our enemies heard that we knew it and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall..." | God frustrates opposition and allows His work to continue. |
| Ezra 5:1-2 | "Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah...prophesied to the Jews...Then Zerubbabel...and Jeshua...began to rebuild the house of God..." | God raises prophets to stir up work after delay. |
| Phil 1:12-14 | "What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel..." | Even opposition and imprisonment can advance God's purposes. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | God's ultimate sovereignty over opposition. |
| Ps 124:6-8 | "Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth!" | God protects His people from the schemes of enemies. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will." | God's ultimate control even over pagan rulers' decisions. |
| Zech 8:3-5 | "Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city..." | Prophecy of Jerusalem's future restoration and faithfulness. |
Ezra 4 verses
Ezra 4 12 Meaning
Ezra 4:12 is a central part of a malicious letter sent by Persian officials to King Artaxerxes. It is a carefully crafted accusation aimed at stopping the rebuilding work in Jerusalem by the returning Jewish exiles. The adversaries present Jerusalem not merely as a city under construction, but as an inherently "rebellious and wicked" entity with a history of defying royal authority. By highlighting the specific act of "finishing the walls and repairing the foundations," they strategically emphasize the creation of a fortified, sovereign city, which would pose a perceived threat to imperial control and disrupt tribute flow, thereby appealing directly to the king's political and military concerns. The verse effectively portrays the strategic opposition against God's people and His redemptive plan.
Ezra 4 12 Context
Ezra chapter 4 describes the sustained opposition faced by the returning Jewish exiles from their adversaries, mainly Samaritans and other peoples of the region, as they attempted to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and later, the city walls. This particular verse (Ezra 4:12) is part of an Aramaic letter (Ezra 4:8-23) sent to King Artaxerxes I by Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe, following a period of obstruction under earlier kings (Cyrus, Darius, Ahasuerus/Xerxes). Historically, Jerusalem had indeed been a city prone to rebellion against various empires, notably against Babylon, which ultimately led to its destruction and the exile. The accusers exploit this historical reputation and the natural imperial suspicion of independent fortifications to present the Jewish rebuilding efforts as a direct threat to the Persian empire's authority and revenue. They intentionally blur the line between building the Temple (sanctioned) and fortifying the city (not sanctioned and viewed suspiciously by imperial powers). This accusation successfully halted the work until the reign of Darius II, a significant setback for the returning exiles.
Ezra 4 12 Word analysis
Be it known to the king (יְדִיעַת לְמַלְכָּא, yedi’ath lemalcha): This formal, administrative Aramaic phrase initiates a serious report, seeking official royal attention and a specific response. It positions the following statement as a vital piece of information the king must know.
that the Jews (יְהוּדָיֵא, Yehudayea'): Refers specifically to the exiles who had returned from Babylonian captivity to their homeland, highlighting them as the direct subjects of this report and its accusations.
who came up from you to us: Establishes the origin of the Jews (from Persian royal territory, thus under royal jurisdiction) and emphasizes that their journey was westward to the accusers' administrative province. This legitimizes the accusers' jurisdiction in reporting on them.
have gone to Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַם, Yerushalem): Identifies the specific problematic location. Jerusalem held profound spiritual significance as God's chosen city, but politically, it had a turbulent history as a rebellious point within various empires.
and are rebuilding (וּבָנַיִן, u'banayin): Aramaic for "building." The immediate activity observed. The context indicates this refers to the city's secular infrastructure and defenses, beyond just the Temple.
the rebellious (מָרָדָה, maradah): Aramaic adjective, carrying a strong connotation of defiance, revolt, or insubordination against legitimate authority. This is a crucial pejorative term strategically employed to incriminate Jerusalem and its builders by evoking past seditions.
and wicked (וּבִישָׁה, u'bishah): Aramaic for "evil," "harmful," "malignant," or "calamitous." This further paints Jerusalem as not only politically defiant but also morally corrupt and inherently a source of trouble.
city (קִרְיְתָא, qiryeta): Specifically "the city," explicitly identifying Jerusalem as the urban center under reconstruction.
they are finishing (מְשַׁכְלְלִין, mesakhlelin): Aramaic, meaning "to complete," "perfect," or "make whole." It implies significant progress, perhaps even nearing completion of their work, creating a sense of urgency for the king to act immediately.
the walls (שׁוּרַיָּא, shurayya): This is a politically charged point. City walls provided crucial defensive capabilities and symbolized urban autonomy or even independent sovereignty. Their reconstruction would predictably alarm any imperial authority concerned with local uprisings, strategic control over routes, and collection of tribute.
and repairing (וְאֻשַּׁיָּא, w'ushayyā): Aramaic for "foundations." This particular Aramaic term can imply laying or digging out the foundations for a major structure.
the foundations (יָחְתִּין, yaḥtîn): Refers to the groundwork or base structures. When paired with "repairing," it indicates a complete, substantial, and permanent reconstruction project, not merely cosmetic repairs, emphasizing the formidable nature of their perceived re-fortification.
"rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city": This specific phrase deliberately maligns Jerusalem, capitalizing on its historical reputation for rebellion against various empires (Assyria, Babylon). It imputes an inherent and persistent nature of insubordination and troublemaking to the city itself.
"finishing the walls and repairing the foundations": This combined phrase strategically zeroes in on the most politically sensitive aspects of the Jewish building endeavors – the defensive fortifications. By highlighting these specific activities, the accusers successfully framed the project not as mere civic restoration but as a direct act of preparing for military defiance, which was designed to resonate with the king's concerns regarding regional control and security.
Ezra 4 12 Bonus section
The chronological sequence of Ezra chapter 4 is generally understood as thematic, rather than strictly chronological, which helps in understanding the reporting to Artaxerxes. While Ezra 4:5 references King Cyrus and Darius I, the letter containing Ezra 4:12 is addressed to King Artaxerxes (Artaxerxes I, 465-424 BC), who reigned later than Darius I. This placement highlights a sustained pattern of opposition across different reigns, grouping similar complaints together. The specific use of Aramaic for this official correspondence is notable; Aramaic served as the lingua franca for the Persian Empire's western satrapies, indicating the formal and bureaucratic nature of the complaint. The underlying manipulative strategy of the adversaries was to skillfully shift the king's perception from a religiously motivated construction project (the Temple, which was legally sanctioned by earlier decrees) to a politically and militarily threatening one (the fortified city of Jerusalem), preying on the long-standing imperial distrust of autonomous states and cities in the Levant region. This effective accusation caused the general rebuilding efforts of the city to be significantly delayed for several decades, until the mission of Nehemiah.
Ezra 4 12 Commentary
Ezra 4:12 vividly captures a critical moment of strategic resistance against God's post-exilic rebuilding program through calculated slander and fear-mongering. The adversaries, with cunning, expertly interweave historical precedent (Jerusalem's known rebellions) with current observations (the Jewish people actively building) and present it as a covert, seditious plot to re-establish a defiant kingdom. By emphasizing the construction of city walls and the strengthening of foundations, they acutely focused on military fortification, understanding this would trigger Artaxerxes' political anxieties far more effectively than reports of temple construction. This verse serves as a powerful illustration that divine work and those dedicated to it frequently encounter determined opposition. Such opposition often manifests through misrepresentation, distortion of truth, and appeals to temporal powers, aiming to obstruct God's sovereign purposes. However, it also implicitly lays the groundwork for God's later intervention, ultimately affirming that while God's work may face temporary hindrances, it can never be ultimately defeated. This historical account offers timeless encouragement for believers to remain steadfast in Kingdom endeavors, anticipating potential opposition, misunderstanding, and false accusations.