Ezra 4:23

4:23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem ¹  and stopped them with threat of armed force. ² 

Ezra 8:22

8:22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy ³  along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger ⁴  is against everyone who forsakes him.”

Ezra 4:20

4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates ⁵  and who were the beneficiaries of ⁶  tribute, custom, and toll.

Ezra 4:16

4:16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control ⁷  of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

Ezra 7:28

7:28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

[4:23]  ¹ tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

[4:23]  ² tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

[8:22]  ³ tn A number of modern translations regard this as a collective singular and translate “from enemies” (also in v. 31).

[8:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “his strength and his anger.” The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms).

[4:20]  ⁵ sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.

[4:20]  ⁶ tn Aram “were being given to them.”

[4:16]  ⁷ tn Aram “will not be to you.”