and are hiring against them counsellors to make void their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even till the reign of Darius king of Persia.

And in the time of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the others of their counsel wrote unto Artaxerxes the king of Persia. But the scripture of the letter was written in the Syrians speech, and was interpreted in the language of the Syrians.

Then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and others of the council of Dina, of Arphaxad, of Tarplat, of Persia, of Erech, of Babylon, of Susa, of Deha, and of Elam,

Then sent the king an answer, "Unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the others of their counsel that dwelt in Samaria, and unto others beyond the water: Peace and salutation.

Now when king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and their counsel, they went up in all the haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and forbade them with violence and power.

You have authority to act for the king and for his Council of Seven to conduct an inquiry concerning Judah and Jerusalem in accordance with the Law of your God, which is in your possession.

and that thou shouldest take with thee, silver and gold, which the king and the lords of his counsel give of their own good will unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is at Jerusalem,

and weighed them there the silver and gold and vessels for the heave offering unto the house of our God, which the king and his lords of his counsel and princes, and all Israel that were at hand, had given to the heave offering:

For they have taken the daughters of the same, and their sons, and have mixed the holy seed with the nations in the lands: and the hand of the rulers and lords of council hath been principal in this trespass."

Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.