1 Esdras 2:16-18

Revised Standard Version

Opposition to Rebuilding Jerusalem

¹⁶ But in the time of Artaxerxes king of the Persians, Bishlam, Mithridates, Tab′eel, Rehum, Beltethmus, Shim′shai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, living in Samar′ia and other places, wrote him the following letter, against those who were living in Judea and Jerusalem:

¹⁷ “To King Artaxerxes our lord, Your servants Rehum the recorder and Shim′shai the scribe and the other judges of their council in Coelesyria and Phoenic′ia: ¹⁸ Now be it known to our lord the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem and are building that rebellious and wicked city, repairing its market places and walls and laying the foundations for a temple.