Ezra 4:21 - Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree is made by me.
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What does "Ezra 4:21" mean?
This verse, Ezra 4:21, is a direct order from King Artaxerxes I of Persia to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"Make a decree now to cause these men to cease...": The king is commanding that an official order (a decree) be issued immediately to halt the work being done by the people (presumably the Jewish people) in Jerusalem. "To cease" means to stop or discontinue.
"...and that this city not be built...": This reinforces the previous command. The decree should specifically prevent the city of Jerusalem from being rebuilt.
"...until a decree is made by me.": This is the key point. The king is saying that the work on Jerusalem should not resume until he himself issues another decree allowing it. He is asserting his absolute authority over the situation and putting a complete stop to the rebuilding until he says otherwise.
Context within Ezra 4:
To fully understand the verse, it's important to know the context. In Ezra 4, the enemies of the Jewish people (often referred to as "adversaries" or "the people of the land") are trying to prevent the rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. They write a letter to King Artaxerxes, falsely accusing the Jewish people of rebellion and claiming that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, it will lead to the loss of tribute and royal control over the region.
King Artaxerxes is persuaded by these accusations and issues the decree in verse 21. He believes that rebuilding Jerusalem poses a threat to his empire's stability and revenue. Therefore, he uses his royal authority to halt the project indefinitely until he reconsiders the situation (which he eventually does, allowing the work to resume years later).
In summary, Ezra 4:21 is King Artaxerxes' authoritative command to immediately and completely stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and to keep it stopped until he specifically gives permission to resume the work. This verse highlights the opposition the Jewish people faced in rebuilding their city and the power of the Persian king to influence events in the region.
Ezra 4:21 - Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree is made by me.
What does "Ezra 4:21" mean?
This verse, Ezra 4:21, is a direct order from King Artaxerxes I of Persia to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"Make a decree now to cause these men to cease...": The king is commanding that an official order (a decree) be issued immediately to halt the work being done by the people (presumably the Jewish people) in Jerusalem. "To cease" means to stop or discontinue.
"...and that this city not be built...": This reinforces the previous command. The decree should specifically prevent the city of Jerusalem from being rebuilt.
"...until a decree is made by me.": This is the key point. The king is saying that the work on Jerusalem should not resume until he himself issues another decree allowing it. He is asserting his absolute authority over the situation and putting a complete stop to the rebuilding until he says otherwise.
Context within Ezra 4:
To fully understand the verse, it's important to know the context. In Ezra 4, the enemies of the Jewish people (often referred to as "adversaries" or "the people of the land") are trying to prevent the rebuilding of the temple and the city of Jerusalem. They write a letter to King Artaxerxes, falsely accusing the Jewish people of rebellion and claiming that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, it will lead to the loss of tribute and royal control over the region.
King Artaxerxes is persuaded by these accusations and issues the decree in verse 21. He believes that rebuilding Jerusalem poses a threat to his empire's stability and revenue. Therefore, he uses his royal authority to halt the project indefinitely until he reconsiders the situation (which he eventually does, allowing the work to resume years later).
In summary, Ezra 4:21 is King Artaxerxes' authoritative command to immediately and completely stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and to keep it stopped until he specifically gives permission to resume the work. This verse highlights the opposition the Jewish people faced in rebuilding their city and the power of the Persian king to influence events in the region.