The Meaning of Ezra 4:11 Explained

Ezra 4:11

KJV: 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.

YLT: This is a copy of a letter that they have sent unto him, unto Artaxerxes the king: 'Thy servants, men beyond the river, and at such a time;

Darby: This is the copy of the letter that they sent to him: To Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men on this side the river, and so forth.

ASV: This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto Artaxerxes the king: Thy servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Ezra 4:11 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 4:11 mean?

This [is] a copy of letter the that they sent him to Artaxerxes King from your servants the men [of the region] beyond River the so forth -
דְּנָה֙ פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן אִגַּרְתָּ֔א דִּ֚י שְׁלַ֣חוּ עֲל֔וֹהִי עַל־ אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא מַלְכָּ֑א עַבְדָ֛יךְ‪‬‪‬ אֱנָ֥שׁ עֲבַֽר־ נַהֲרָ֖ה וּכְעֶֽנֶת פ

דְּנָה֙  This  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
פַּרְשֶׁ֣גֶן  a  copy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פַּרְשֶׁגֶן  
Sense: copy.
אִגַּרְתָּ֔א  of  letter  the 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: אִגְּרָה  
Sense: letter, missive (Aramaic loan-word used in last OT books).
דִּ֚י  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
שְׁלַ֣חוּ  they  sent 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁלַח  
Sense: to send.
אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא  Artaxerxes 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא 
Sense: son and successor of Xerxes as emperor of Persia, 465–424 BC.
מַלְכָּ֑א  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
עַבְדָ֛יךְ‪‬‪‬  from  your  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֲבֵד  
Sense: servant, slave.
אֱנָ֥שׁ  the  men  [of  the  region] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֱנָשׁ  
Sense: man, human being.
עֲבַֽר־  beyond 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֲבַר  
Sense: region beyond or across.
נַהֲרָ֖ה  River  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: נְהַר  
Sense: river.
וּכְעֶֽנֶת  so  forth 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כְּעֶנֶת 
Sense: now, and now.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation

What are the major concepts related to Ezra 4:11?

Loading Information...