1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;
2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, “Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.”
When Assyria carried Israel away into captivity, they imported other people into the land. When these people had trouble with lions and other natural forces they came to the conclusion that they needed to worship the god of the land. (It was the common belief that every area had its own deity and if he wasn’t worshipped correctly, he would punish whoever lived in that land). So they sent to the king of Assyria and had him send them priests of God to teach them how to worship the native deity. Their worship did mimic the worship commanded by God, but it was not a true conversion. They were just going through the motions and likely mixing paganism with true worship.
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.”
The leaders of Judah wanted only Jews to build the temple. Whether they wanted only ethnic Jews and would have refused true worshipers of God of another nationality, I don’t know. I guess it doesn’t matter since no true worshipers of God of another people showed up. We know these people weren’t believers because of their response.
4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
People who truly love God follow His commands, one of which is to love your neighbor. These people caused problems to their neighbors instead.
5 And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Cyrus (and his father-in-law Darius the Mede) took the kingdom of Babylon in about 457BC and was probably murdered by his brother-in-law (Arte)Xerxes Ahasuerus, king of Media in 454BC. Ahasuerus ruled for about 14 years, until 440BC. He was then murdered by one of his noblemen, who was executed after a very short time by Ahasuerus’ (and Esther’s?) son-in-law, Darius of Persia (son of a nobleman), who then ruled from 440-405BC.
So, these neighbors “troubled” the Jews for about seventeen years. By this time, the momentum and desire to build had disappeared among the Jews. They lived in peace with their neighbors and appeared to have ignored the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they (the unbelieving neighbors) unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
The neighbors are causing trouble again.
7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
Several letters were written to Artaxerxes (“The One Worthy to be King”) Ahasuerus, son of Darius the Mede.
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
This letter is claiming to be from the descendants of all the different people Assurbanipal of Assyria had relocated to Israel.
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; “Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 “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.
13 “Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.”
Of course their only concern was the king’s bank account. This letter had nothing to do with revenge or with hatred for the true worshipers of God (I need a sarcastic font here.)
14 “Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
The governors of the area were supported by the king so they may have assumed whatever was in the best interest of the king was also in their interest. They are trying to scare the king into acting against the Jews.
15 “That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
Of course, the city was really destroyed because of their disobedience to God. They had been no more rebellious to human kings than any other nation, but the enemies of God will do what they can to stop His work.
16 “We certify the king that, if this city be built again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.”
17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, “Peace, and at such a time.
The king answers.
18 “The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
19 “And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
20 “There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
He read about Solomon and David.
21 “Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not built, until another commandment shall be given from me.
22 “Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
He bought it.
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
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.