And the adversariesוַ צָרֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהand Benjaminוּבִנְיָמִןheardיִּשְׁמְעוּthatכִּיthe sonsבְנֵיof the exileהַגּוֹלָהwere buildingבּוֹנִיםa templeהֵיכָלfor YHWH,לַיהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵל
and they approachedוַיִּגְּשׁוּZerubbabelאֶל זְרֻבָּבֶלand the headsוְאֶל רָאשֵׁיof the fathers’ housesהָאָבוֹתand saidוַיֹּאמְרוּto them,לָהֶם“Let us buildנִבְנֶהwith you,עִמָּכֶםforכִּיlike youכָכֶםwe seekנִדְרוֹשׁyour Elohim,לֵאלֹהֵיכֶםand to himוְלוֹweאֲנַחְנוּhave been sacrificingזֹבְחִיםsince the daysמִימֵיof Esarhaddonאֵסַר חַדֹּןkingמֶלֶךְof Assyria,אַשּׁוּרwhoהַbrought us upמַּעֲלֶה אֹתָנוּhere.”פֹּה
ButוַZerubbabelזְרֻבָּבֶלand Jeshuaוְיֵשׁוּעַand the restוּשְׁאָרof the headsרָאשֵׁיof the fathers’ housesהָאָבוֹתof Israelלְיִשְׂרָאֵלsaidיֹּאמֶרto them,לָהֶם“It is notלֹאfor youלָכֶםand for usוָלָנוּto buildלִבְנוֹתa houseבַּיִתfor our Elohim;לֵאלֹהֵינוּbutכִּיweאֲנַחְנוּaloneיַחַדwill buildנִבְנֶהfor YHWH,לַיהוָהthe Elohimאֱלֹהֵיof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלasכַּאֲשֶׁרKingהַמֶּלֶךְCyrusכּוֹרֶשׁkingמֶלֶךְof Persiaפָּרָסcommanded us.”צִוָּנוּ
Thenוַthe peopleעַםof the landהָאָרֶץwereיְהִיweakening the handsמְרַפִּים יְדֵיof the peopleעַםof Judahיְהוּדָהand terrifyingוּמְבַהֲלִיםthemאוֹתָםfrom building,לִבְנוֹת
and hiringוְסֹכְרִיםcounselorsיוֹעֲצִיםagainst themעֲלֵיהֶםto frustrateלְהָפֵרtheir counselעֲצָתָםallכָּלthe daysיְמֵיof Cyrusכּוֹרֶשׁkingמֶלֶךְof Persia,פָּרַסand untilוְעַדthe reignמַלְכוּתof Dariusדָּרְיָוֶשׁkingמֶלֶךְof Persia.פָּרָס
And in the reignוּבְמַלְכוּתof Ahasuerus,אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁat the beginningבִּתְחִלַּתof his reign,מַלְכוּתוֹthey wroteכָּתְבוּan accusationשִׂטְנָהagainstעַלthe inhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵיof Judahיְהוּדָהand Jerusalem.וִירוּשָׁלִָם
And in the daysוּבִימֵיof ArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּאBishlam,בִּשְׁלָםMithredath,מִתְרְדָתTabeel,טָבְאֵלand the restוּשְׁאָרof his companionsכְּנָוֺתָיוwroteכָּתַבtoעַלArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּkingמֶלֶךְof Persia;פָּרָסand the writingוּכְתָבof the letterהַנִּשְׁתְּוָןwas writtenכָּתוּבin Aramaicאֲרָמִיתand translatedוּמְתֻרְגָּםin Aramaic.אֲרָמִית
Rehumרְחוּםthe commanderבְּעֵל טְעֵםand Shimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁיthe scribeסָפְרָאwroteכְּתַבוּa letterאִגְּרָה חֲדָהagainstעַלJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֶםto Artaxerxesלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּאthe kingמַלְכָּאas follows:כְּנֵמָא
ThenאֱדַיִןRehumרְחוּםthe commanderבְּעֵל טְעֵםand Shimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁיthe scribeסָפְרָאand the restוּשְׁאָרof their companions:כְּנָוָתְהוֹןthe Dinaites,דִּינָיֵאthe Apharsathchites,אֲפַרְסַתְכָיֵאthe Tarpelites,טַרְפְּלָיֵאthe Apharsites,אֲפָרְסָיֵאthe men of Erech,אַרְכְּוָיֵאthe Babylonians,בָבְלָיֵאthe men of Susa,שׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵאthe Dehaites,דֶּהָיֵאthe Elamites,עֵלְמָיֵא
and the restוּשְׁאָרof the nationsאֻמַּיָּאwhomדִּיOsnappar,אָסְנַפַּרthe greatרַבָּאand noble,וְיַקִּירָאcarried into exileהַגְלִיand settledוְהוֹתֵבthemהִמּוֹin the cityבְּקִרְיָהofדִּיSamaria,שָׁמְרָיִןand the restוּשְׁאָרof the other sideעֲבַרof the river.נַהֲרָהAnd now:וּכְעֶנֶת
Thisדְּנָהis the copyפַּרְשֶׁגֶןof the letterאִגַּרְתָּאthatדִּיthey sentשְׁלַחוּto him:עֲלוֹהִי“ToעַלArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּאthe king:מַלְכָּאyour servants,עַבְדָיךְthe menאֱנָשׁof the other sideעֲבַרof the river.נַהֲרָהAnd now:וּכְעֶנֶת
let it be knownיְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵאto the kingלְמַלְכָּאthatדִּיthe Jewsיְהוּדָיֵאwhoדִּיcame upסְלִקוּfromמִןyouלְוָתָךְhave comeאֲתוֹto us,עֲלֶינָאto Jerusalem;לִירוּשְׁלֶםthey are buildingבָּנַיִןthe rebelliousמָרָדְתָּאand wickedוּבִישְׁתָּאcity,קִרְיְתָאand they are finishingשַׁכְלִילוּthe wallsוְשׁוּרַיָּאand repairingיַחִיטוּthe foundations.וְאֻשַּׁיָּא
Nowכְּעַןlet it be knownיְדִיעַ לֶהֱוֵאto the kingלְמַלְכָּאthatדִּיifהֵןthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאis builtתִּתְבְּנֵאand the wallsוְשׁוּרַיָּהare finished,יִשְׁתַּכְלְלוּןthey will notלָאpayיִנְתְּנוּןtribute,מִנְדָּהtax,בְלוֹor toll,וַהֲלָךְand it will cause harmוְ תְּהַנְזִקto the treasuryאַפְּתֹםof kings.מַלְכִים
Now,כְּעַןbecauseכָּל קֳבֵל דִּיwe eatמְלַחְנָאthe saltמְלַחof the palace,הֵיכְלָאandוְit is notלָאfittingאֲרִיךְfor usלַנָאto seeלְמֶחֱזֵאthe dishonorעַרְוַתof the king,מַלְכָּאthereforeעַל דְּנָהwe have sentשְׁלַחְנָאand informedוְהוֹדַעְנָאthe king,לְמַלְכָּא
so thatדִּיsomeone may investigateיְבַקַּרin the bookבִּסְפַרof the memorialsדָּכְרָנַיָּאof your fathers;דִּי אֲבָהָתָךְand you will findוּתְהַשְׁכַּחin the bookבִּסְפַרof the memorialsדָּכְרָנַיָּאand knowוְתִנְדַּעthatדִּיthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאis a rebelliousמָרָדָאcity,קִרְיָאcausing harmוּמְהַנְזְקַתto kingsמַלְכִיןand provinces,וּמְדִנָןand that they have been makingוְ עָבְדִיןseditionאֶשְׁתַּדּוּרwithin itבְּגַוַּהּsinceמִןthe daysיוֹמָתof old;עָלְמָאforעַלthis reasonדְּנָהthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאwas laid waste.הָחָרְבַת
Weאֲנַחְנָהinformמְהוֹדְעִיןthe kingלְמַלְכָּאthatדִּיifהֵןthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאis builtתִּתְבְּנֵאand the wallsוְשׁוּרַיָּהare finished,יִשְׁתַּכְלְלוּןas a resultלָקֳבֵל דְּנָהyou will haveאִיתַי לָךְnoלָאportionחֲלָקin the other sideבַּעֲבַרof the river.”נַהֲרָא
The kingמַלְכָּאsentשְׁלַחan answer:פִּתְגָמָא“ToעַלRehumרְחוּםthe commanderבְּעֵל טְעֵםand Shimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁיthe scribeסָפְרָאand the restוּשְׁאָרof their companionsכְּנָוָתְהוֹןwhoדִּיliveיָתְבִיןin Samariaבְּשָׁמְרָיִןand the restוּשְׁאָרof the other sideעֲבַרof the river:נַהֲרָהPeace.שְׁלָםAnd now:וּכְעֶת
the letterנִשְׁתְּוָנָאthatדִּיyou sentשְׁלַחְתּוּןto usעֲלֶינָאhas been readקֱרִיclearlyמְפָרַשׁbefore me.קָדָמָי
And by meוּמִנִּיan orderטְעֵםwas given,שִׂיםand they investigatedוּבַקַּרוּand foundוְהַשְׁכַּחוּthatדִּיthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאsinceמִןthe daysיוֹמָתof oldעָלְמָאhas risen upמִתְנַשְּׂאָהagainstעַלkings,מַלְכִיןand that rebellionוּמְרַדand seditionוְאֶשְׁתַּדּוּרhave been madeמִתְעֲבֶדin it.בַּהּ
And there wereוּ הֲווֹmightyתַּקִּיפִיןkingsמַלְכִיןoverעַלJerusalemיְרוּשְׁלֶםand rulingוְשַׁלִּיטִיןover allבְּכֹלthe other sideעֲבַרof the river,נַהֲרָהand tribute,וּמִדָּהtax,בְלוֹand tollוַהֲלָךְwere paidמִתְיְהֵבto them.לְהוֹן
Nowכְּעַןgiveשִׂימוּan orderטְּעֵםto makeלְthoseאִלֵּךְmenגֻּבְרַיָּאcease,בַטָּלָאandוְthatדָךְcityקִרְיְתָאis not to beלָאbuiltתִתְבְּנֵאuntilעַדby meמִנִּיthe orderטַעְמָאis given.יִתְּשָׂם
And be carefulוּזְהִירִין הֱווֹof negligenceשָׁלוּin actingלְמֶעְבַּדon this.עַל דְּנָהWhyלְמָהshould the damageחֲבָלָאgrowיִשְׂגֵּאto the harmלְהַנְזָקַתof kings?”מַלְכִין
Then,אֱדַיִןas soon asמִן דִּיthe copyפַּרְשֶׁגֶןof the letterנִשְׁתְּוָנָאofדִּיArtaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּthe kingמַלְכָּאwas readקֱרִיbeforeקֳדָםRehumרְחוּםand Shimshaiוְשִׁמְשַׁיthe scribeסָפְרָאand their companions,וּכְנָוָתְהוֹןthey wentאֲזַלוּin hasteבִבְהִילוּto Jerusalem,לִירוּשְׁלֶםtoעַלthe Jews,יְהוּדָיֵאand made them ceaseוּבַטִּלוּ הִמּוֹby forceבְּאֶדְרָעand with troops.וְחָיִל
Thenבֵּאדַיִןthe workעֲבִידַתof the houseבֵּיתof Elahאֱלָהָאwhichדִּיis in Jerusalemבִּירוּשְׁלֶםceased,בְּטֵלַתand it remainedוַהֲוָתstoppedבָּטְלָאuntilעַדthe secondתַּרְתֵּיןyearשְׁנַתof the reignלְמַלְכוּתof Dariusדָּרְיָוֶשׁkingמֶלֶךְof Persia.פָּרָס