Ezra 4:1-3

Tree of Life Version

Resistance Weakens the People

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for Adonai the God of Israel, ² they approached Zerubbabel and the leading patriarchs and said to them, “Let us build with you, for like you we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua and the rest of the prominent patriarchs of Israel said to them, “It is not for you and us to build a House for our God—but we alone will build it for Adonai the God of Israel, just as Cyrus—king of Persia—has commanded us.”