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.

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter from Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king, as it followeth.

And this is the sum of the letter that they sent: "Unto king Artaxerxes: Thy servants, the men that are now on this side the water.

The letter which ye sent unto us, hath been openly read before me,

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.

This is the copy of the letter that Tattenai the captain on this side the water, and Shetharbozenai, and their counselors of Arphaxad, which were on this side the water, sent unto king Darius;

And this is the copy of the letter, that king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, which was a teacher in the words of the LORD and of his statutes over Israel: