Ezra 4:16

We advise the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no dominion west of the Euphrates.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Rehum and his associates in Samaria and the region west of the Euphrates write to the Persian king, responding to his directive to search the royal archives and warning him of the political consequences of allowing Jerusalem's reconstruction.

The words — The Aramaic מְהוֹדְעִ֤ין (me.hod.'In) and תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א (tit.be.Ne') render "making known" and "it will be built," structuring the city's restoration as a factual sequence that directly impacts imperial control.

The thread — The warning about losing "dominion west of the Euphrates" mirrors the territorial authority described in 1 Kings 4:24, 2 Samuel 8:3, and Ezra 4:20, showing how the region's political stability historically depended on keeping rebellious cities subdued.

Why it lands — The text states that rebuilding the city and restoring its walls will immediately strip the king of regional authority, requiring a reader to confront the tangible political cost of allowing a previously rebellious community to regain its fortifications.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

מְהוֹדְעִ֤יןme.hod.'In[are] making known אֲנַ֙חְנָה֙'a.Nach.nahwe לְמַלְכָּ֔אle./mal.Ka/'to/ king/ the דִּ֠יdithat הֵ֣ןhenif קִרְיְתָ֥אkir.ye.Ta/'city/ the דָךְ֙doKhthis תִּתְבְּנֵ֔אtit.be.Ne'it will be built וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖הve./shu.rai.Yah/'and/ walls/ the יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּןyish.takh.le.Lunthey will be finished לָקֳבֵ֣לlo./ko.Vel<to>/ before דְּנָ֔הde.Nahthis חֲלָק֙cha.Lakpossession בַּעֲבַ֣רba./'a.Varin/ [the] region beyond נַהֲרָ֔אna.ha.Ra/'river/ the לָ֥אla'not אִיתַ֖י'i.Taithereלָֽךְ׃ פLa/kh[will be] to/ you

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Samuel 8:3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.
1 Kings 4:24 For Solomon had dominion over everything west of the Euphrates—over all the kingdoms from Tiphsah to Gaza—and he had peace on all sides.
Ezra 4:20 And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.