Bible Chapter Summary
Ezra 4 Summary
Adversaries Halt the Temple Work
The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin offer to help build the temple, but Zerubbabel and the chief fathers refuse them, saying only the people of Israel will build the LORD's house as King Cyrus commanded. The people of the land then weaken the hands of Judah and trouble them in building, hiring counselors to frustrate their purpose through the reigns of Cyrus, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes. When Artaxerxes receives an accusation letter claiming the Jews are building a rebellious city, he commands them to cease work, and the building of the house of God stops.
Key themes
Key verses
Ezra 4:3
“But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.”
Ezra 4:4
“Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,”
Ezra 4:8
“Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:”
Ezra 4:24
“Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.”
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