Ezra 4 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

Library Home>Ezra 4 (KJV)

Verse 4

Go

Verse 6

Articles on

Ezra 4

Ezra 4:5 KJV (With Strong’s)

+

5

And hired counsellorsx against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

x

Acts 24:1• ¹And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. (Acts 24:1)

,etc.

More on:

+

Counselor,

Cyrus,

Darius,

King,

Persia; Persians

Cross References

+

Ministry on This Verse

+

hired.

Psa. 2:1‑2• ¹Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
²The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, (Psa. 2:1‑2)

;

Nah. 1:11• ¹¹There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the Lord, a wicked counsellor. (Nah. 1:11)

;

Acts 24:1‑27• ¹And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
²And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
³We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
⁴Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
⁵For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
⁶Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
⁷But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
⁸Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
⁹And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
¹⁰Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
¹¹Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
¹²And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
¹³Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
¹⁴But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
¹⁵And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
¹⁶And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
¹⁷Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
¹⁸Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
¹⁹Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
²⁰Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
²¹Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
²²And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
²³And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
²⁴And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
²⁵And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
²⁶He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
²⁷But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. (Acts 24:1‑27)

Darius.

Ezra 4:24• ²⁴Then 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. (Ezra 4:24)

;

Ezra 5:5‑17• ⁵But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
⁶The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
⁷They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.
⁸Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.
⁹Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?
¹⁰We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.
¹¹And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.
¹²But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
¹³But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
¹⁴And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;
¹⁵And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.
¹⁶Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.
¹⁷Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter. (Ezra 5:5‑17)

;

Ezra 6:1‑18• ¹Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
²And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
³In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
⁴With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:
⁵And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
⁶Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
⁷Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
⁸Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
⁹And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
¹⁰That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savors unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
¹¹Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
¹²And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
¹³Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
¹⁴And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
¹⁵And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
¹⁶And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
¹⁷And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
¹⁸And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. (Ezra 6:1‑18)

• (Hag. 1:2). Nevertheless, they had the written authority of the unalterable law of the Medes and Persians: “as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us”(Ezra 4:3; Dan. 6:8). Furthermore, even though this was a command of the king, they should have known by the prophecies of Isaiah that it was ordained of God (Isa. 44:28). The people should have rested on the Word of God, but their fear of their enemies was stronger than their faith. (“Adversaries- Ezra 4:1-24” by N. Simon)

J. N. Darby Translation

+

5

and they hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.