Ezra 4:21-23

EasyEnglish Bible

²¹ Now you must command these people to stop their work. They must not build the city again until I decide to let them do it. ²² You must be very careful to make sure that they stop. We do not want the danger to our kingdom to become any greater. Our authority to rule them as kings must continue.’

²³ Rehum, his officer, Shimshai, and their friends heard what the king's letter said. So they immediately took it to the Jews in Jerusalem. They used their power to command the Jews to stop their work.