The Meaning of Ezra 4:20 Explained

Ezra 4:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.

Darby: And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.

ASV: There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.

Discover Ezra 4:20

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ezra 4:20?

MEANING: What does Ezra 4:20 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ezra 4:20 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ezra 4:20?

What is the context of Ezra 4:20?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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.

What does Ezra 4:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 4:11-24 - The Enemy's Short-Lived Triumph

The promoters of this letter were descendants of the heathen colonists who had been sent into the land by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 17:24. It was written to the then reigning monarch, Artaxerxes, which Ezra seems to have copied from the records of Persia, because it stands in the original in the Chaldee language. Notice that now the Israelites are first called Jews, i.e., Judahites, Ezra 4:12. They urge that the Temple-building should be stayed for the king's own sake. Secret enmity to God's kingdom is often hidden under pretended devotion to Caesar, John 19:12. We, too, have our maintenance from the God of heaven, we have eaten the salt of the palace, Ezra 4:14; and we should never allow His name to be dishonored without doing our best to prevent it. The king was imposed upon by their representations, and ordered the work to cease. But it is probable that something was due to the supineness of the Jews, who were already half-hearted in their endeavors, Haggai 1:2-9. The rebuilding of the Temple stopped during the reigns of Cambyses and the Magia Smerdis; but in the second year of Darius Hystaspes it was recommenced, and was then finished in four years, or nineteen years after its commencement, Zechariah 8:9; Haggai 2:18. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 4

¹ The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews,
⁴ endeavor to hinder it
⁷ Their letter to Artaxerxes
¹⁷ The answer and decree of Artaxerxes
²³ The building is hindered

What do the individual words in Ezra 4:20 mean?

And kings mighty there have been over Jerusalem and who have ruled over all [the region] beyond River the and tax tribute and custom were paid to them

וּמַלְכִ֣ין תַּקִּיפִ֗ין הֲווֹ֙ עַל־ יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין בְּכֹ֖ל עֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֑ה וּמִדָּ֥ה בְל֛וֹ וַהֲלָ֖ךְ מִתְיְהֵ֥ב לְהֽוֹן

וּמַלְכִ֣ין	And kings
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural Root: מֶלֶךְ Sense: king.
תַּקִּיפִ֗ין	mighty
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural Root: תַּקִּיף Sense: might, strong, mighty.
הֲווֹ֙	there have been
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine plural Root: הֲוָה Sense: to come to pass, become, be.
עַל־	over
Parse: Preposition Root: עַל Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם	Jerusalem
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: יְרוּשְׁלֶם Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין	and who have ruled
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural Root: שַׁלִּיט Sense: having mastery, having authority, ruling.
בְּכֹ֖ל	over all [the region]
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct Root: כֹּל Sense: all, whole, the whole.
עֲבַ֣ר	beyond
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: עֲבַר Sense: region beyond or across.
נַהֲרָ֑ה	River the
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate Root: נְהַר Sense: river.
וּמִדָּ֥ה	and tax
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular Root: מִדָּה Sense: tribute.
בְל֛וֹ	tribute
Parse: Noun, masculine singular Root: בְּלֹו Sense: tribute.
וַהֲלָ֖ךְ	and custom
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular Root: הֲלָךְ Sense: toll, custom duty, tribute.
מִתְיְהֵ֥ב	were paid
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular Root: יְהַב Sense: to give, provide.
לְהֽוֹן	to them
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural

What are the major concepts related to Ezra 4:20?

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Similar Scriptures for Ezra 4:20

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