Ezra 4:17 - Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.
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What does "Ezra 4:17" mean?
This verse is part of a correspondence between the Persian king (likely Artaxerxes I) and officials in Samaria who had complained about the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Let's break it down:
"Then the king sent an answer...": This indicates that the king, upon receiving a letter from Rehum and his associates (verse 7-16), is now responding.
"...to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River...": This clearly identifies the recipients of the letter. Rehum was the chancellor (a high-ranking official) and Shimshai was the scribe (responsible for writing and official documents). These men, along with their associates, were representatives of the people living in Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River ("beyond the River"), which was part of the Persian Empire. These were the people who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
"...Peace.": This is the opening salutation of the king's letter. "Peace" (Shalom in Hebrew) was a common greeting, similar to "Greetings" or "To Whom It May Concern" in modern correspondence. It's important to note that this does not necessarily imply a friendly or conciliatory tone; it's simply the standard way to begin a letter.
In summary, the verse describes the formal opening of King Artaxerxes' reply to the officials in Samaria who had complained about the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The "Peace" greeting is a conventional salutation, not necessarily an indication of the letter's content or the king's disposition. The rest of the letter (verses 18-22) reveals that the king ordered a cessation of the building project in Jerusalem, confirming that the initial "peace" greeting did not reflect a positive outcome for those seeking to rebuild the city.
Ezra 4:17 - Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.
What does "Ezra 4:17" mean?
This verse is part of a correspondence between the Persian king (likely Artaxerxes I) and officials in Samaria who had complained about the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Let's break it down:
"Then the king sent an answer...": This indicates that the king, upon receiving a letter from Rehum and his associates (verse 7-16), is now responding.
"...to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River...": This clearly identifies the recipients of the letter. Rehum was the chancellor (a high-ranking official) and Shimshai was the scribe (responsible for writing and official documents). These men, along with their associates, were representatives of the people living in Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates River ("beyond the River"), which was part of the Persian Empire. These were the people who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
"...Peace.": This is the opening salutation of the king's letter. "Peace" (Shalom in Hebrew) was a common greeting, similar to "Greetings" or "To Whom It May Concern" in modern correspondence. It's important to note that this does not necessarily imply a friendly or conciliatory tone; it's simply the standard way to begin a letter.
In summary, the verse describes the formal opening of King Artaxerxes' reply to the officials in Samaria who had complained about the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The "Peace" greeting is a conventional salutation, not necessarily an indication of the letter's content or the king's disposition. The rest of the letter (verses 18-22) reveals that the king ordered a cessation of the building project in Jerusalem, confirming that the initial "peace" greeting did not reflect a positive outcome for those seeking to rebuild the city.