We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.”
Parallel translations
- WEB We inform the king that, if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.
- KJV We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
- BSB We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.
- NKJV We inform the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the result will be that you will have no dominion beyond the River.
- NASB We are informing the king that if that city is rebuilt and the walls finished, then as a result of this you will have no possession in the province beyond the Euphrates River.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They warned that a rebuilt Jerusalem would cost the king his control beyond the River. The letter ended with an alarming political threat.
Overview
The accusers predicted total loss of the empire's western territory if the work continued, a deliberate exaggeration to compel action. Their closing appeal aimed to frighten the king into decisive intervention. The escalating rhetoric reveals the lengths to which opponents went to halt the rebuilding.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 1 Kgs 4:24For he had dominion over all on this side the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings on this side the River: and he had peace on all sides around him.
- 2 Sam 8:3David struck also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the River.
- Ezra 4:20There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The return from exile and the rebuilt altar keep alive the hope of a greater restoration — the true return from our deeper exile of sin accomplished by Christ.
How Ezra 4:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.