Why did Zerubbabel and Jeshua refuse help to build the temple?

The people who offered to help said they sought the same God and had sacrificed to him for a long time, but they also worshiped idols and came from nations the Assyrian kings had moved into the land. Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the elders knew their worship was mixed and not faithful to the Lord alone. So they told them, “You have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God.” They wanted the rebuilding of the temple to be led by those truly devoted to God, without bringing in false worship or divided loyalties.

Who are the “adversaries of Judah and Benjamin” in this passage?

The adversaries were people living in and around Samaria and the land of Israel who had been brought there by Assyrian kings after the northern tribes were taken away. They claimed to seek the God of Israel, but they also kept the idols and customs of their own nations. At first they pretended to be friendly by offering to help build the temple. When refused, they showed their true colors by discouraging the Jews, bribing officials, and sending accusing letters to Persian kings to stop the rebuilding work.

What accusations did the enemies of the Jews send to the Persian king?

They wrote that the Jews were rebuilding “the rebellious and the bad city,” claiming that if Jerusalem’s walls were restored, the people would not pay toll, tribute, or custom. They warned that the king’s income would suffer and said it was not right for them to see the king dishonored. They urged the king to search the records, saying he would find that Jerusalem had a history of rebellion and trouble for kings, and that if the city was rebuilt, the king would lose his hold on the region beyond the river.

How did King Artaxerxes respond to the letter against Jerusalem?

Artaxerxes ordered a search of the royal records and found that Jerusalem had, in the past, had strong kings and times of rebellion. Taking the accusations at face value, he told his officials to make the Jews stop rebuilding the city until he gave a new command. He warned them not to neglect this, asking why damage should grow to hurt the kings. After his letter was read, the local officials went quickly to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop the work by using power and pressure.

Why did the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stop for a time?

The work stopped because the enemies of the Jews kept opposing them over many years, from the days of Cyrus through later kings. They discouraged the builders, hired counselors to work against them, and finally gained a royal order from Artaxerxes telling them to make the Jews cease building the city. With that command in hand, local officials came in haste and used force to make them stop. As a result, the work on God’s house and the city paused until the second year of Darius, when it started again by God’s help.

What does this passage show about spiritual opposition to God’s work?

You can see that opposition often starts subtle and then grows stronger. First, the adversaries came with a friendly offer to help, using spiritual language. When that was refused, they shifted to discouragement, hired people in power to hinder the work, and finally used lies and half-truths in letters to the king. This shows how those against God’s work may pretend to be allies, then move to open hostility. It reminds believers that serving God usually meets resistance, and that they need discernment and patience when that happens.

How does the refusal of mixed worship apply to believers today?

The leaders in this passage would not join with people who claimed to seek God but kept their idols. They knew that if they joined hands in building the temple, they would also be joining in wrong worship. For believers today, this points to the need for care about partnerships in spiritual work. It does not mean avoiding all contact with others, but it does remind us to be careful about who shapes our worship and teaching, and to keep loyalty to God above the desire for quick help or peace.

What was happening historically when these letters were written?

The Jews had returned from exile under a decree from Cyrus, king of Persia, to rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. The land around them was filled with people from many nations that earlier Assyrian kings had moved into the area. These mixed peoples had their own gods but also tried to claim the God of Israel. As different Persian kings took the throne after Cyrus, the local enemies used the changing politics to their advantage, writing to Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes to halt the Jewish rebuilding efforts.

What does this passage teach about God’s people facing delays and setbacks?

Here, God’s people are doing something good and commanded, yet they face years of delay through slander, fear, and royal orders. The passage shows that even when a work is right, it may not move forward smoothly. The delay does not mean God has forgotten them or that the work is over. Later, under Darius, the building starts again. This helps readers see that setbacks in serving God can be real and painful, but they do not cancel God’s purpose. His timing and plan are larger than one season of resistance.

Ezra.4.1

Ezra 4:1

KJV

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

Adversaries Hinder the Work

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel;

2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 ¶ And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:

9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,

10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.

11 ¶ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.

12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.

13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

14 Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;

15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

The Decree of Artaxerxes

17 ¶ Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.

18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.

22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

23 ¶ Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Cross References

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