Ezra 4:3

4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right ¹  to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

Ezra 4:15

4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records ²  of his predecessors ³  and discover in those records ⁴  that this city is rebellious ⁵  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ⁶  from long ago. ⁷  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

[4:3]  ¹ tn Heb “not to you and to us.”

[4:15]  ² tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

[4:15]  ³ tn Aram “of your fathers.”

[4:15]  ⁴ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

[4:15]  ⁵ tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

[4:15]  ⁶ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

[4:15]  ⁷ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.