Ezra 4:13
New International Version
Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.

New Living Translation
And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.

English Standard Version
Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired.

Berean Standard Bible
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Let it now be known to the king that, if this city is built and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or custom, and the king’s treasury will be diminished.

New American Standard Bible
Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom tax, or toll, and it will be detrimental to the revenue of the kings.

NASB 1995
“Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.

NASB 1977
“Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are completed, they will not give tribute, custom, or toll, and it will damage the revenue of the kings.

Amplified Bible
Now let it be known to the king, that if that city is rebuilt and the walls are finished, then they will not pay tax, custom, or toll, and the revenue of the kings will be diminished.

Christian Standard Bible
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue will suffer.

American Standard Version
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Thus let it be known, oh King, that if it is that this city will be built and its walls will be completed, there is no tax for you, also you shall not know this counsel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Now then be it known to the king, that if that city be built up, and its walls completed, thou shalt have no tribute, neither will they pay anything, and this injures kings.

Contemporary English Version
You should also know that if the walls are completed and the city is rebuilt, the Jews won't pay any kind of taxes, and there will be less money in your treasury.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.

English Revised Version
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will endamage the kings.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You should also know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, the Jews will no longer pay taxes, fees, and tolls. Ultimately, this will hurt the king's income.

Good News Translation
Your Majesty, if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the people will stop paying taxes, and your royal revenues will decrease.

International Standard Version
May the king be further advised that if this city is rebuilt and its walls erected, its citizens will refuse to pay tributes, taxes, and tariffs, thereby restricting royal revenues.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, impost, or toll, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

Literal Standard Version
Now let it be known to the king, that if this city is built and the walls finished, that they do not give toll, tribute, and custom; and at length it causes loss [to] the kings.

Majority Standard Bible
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.

New American Bible
Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, they will no longer pay taxes, tributes, or tolls; eventually the throne will be harmed.

NET Bible
Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.

New Revised Standard Version
Now may it be known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced.

New Heart English Bible
Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

Webster's Bible Translation
Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up again, then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.

World English Bible
Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.

Young's Literal Translation
Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length to the kings it doth cause loss.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Opposition under Xerxes and Artaxerxes
12Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came from you to us have returned to Jerusalem. And they are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city, restoring its walls, and repairing its foundations. 13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. 14Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king…

Cross References
Matthew 9:9
As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. "Follow Me," He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him.

Ezra 4:14
Now because we are in the service of the palace and it is not fitting for us to allow the king to be dishonored, we have sent to inform the king

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.

Ezra 7:24
And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

Nehemiah 5:4
Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.


Treasury of Scripture

Be it known now to the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so you shall damage the revenue of the kings.

if this city

Nehemiah 5:4
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Psalm 52:2
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully.

Psalm 119:69
The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

pay.

Ezra 7:24
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

Matthew 9:9
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

Matthew 17:25
He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?

revenue.

Jump to Previous
Builded Building Built Cause City Complete Completed Custom Damage Duty End Finished Forced Furthermore Goods Hurtful Impost Kings Loss Paid Pay Payment Payments Rebuilt Restored Revenue Revenues Royal Tax Taxes Toll Tribute Walls Wilt
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Builded Building Built Cause City Complete Completed Custom Damage Duty End Finished Forced Furthermore Goods Hurtful Impost Kings Loss Paid Pay Payment Payments Rebuilt Restored Revenue Revenues Royal Tax Taxes Toll Tribute Walls Wilt
Ezra 4
1. The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews,
4. endeavor to hinder it
7. Their letter to Artaxerxes
17. The answer and decree of Artaxerxes
23. The building is hindered














(13) Toll, tribute, and custom.--Toll for the highways; custom, a provision in kind; tribute, the money tax.

The revenue.--Rather, at length; literally and at length damage will be done to the kings.

Verse 13. - Then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom. This was plausible reasoning. In Greece, if a subject city set to work to fortify itself, rebellion was immediately anticipated, not unfairly. But the circumstances of the Persian empire were different. In the remoter parts of that empire the central government was weak, and disorders frequently occurred. A city might need fortifications to protect it against its immediate neighbours, when it had not the slightest intention of asserting independence. Judging from the later history, which shows no revolt of the Jews against Persia, we may say that the accusation now alleged was unfounded, though perhaps it was not made in bad faith. Toll, tribute, and custom represent the chief heads of Persian taxation, which, however, did not include "custom" in our sense of the word. The three terms used by the Samaritans really represent, respectively, "tribute," or the money payment required from each province, "provision," or the payment in kind equally required (Herod., 1:192; 3:91), and "toll," or contributions from those who made use of the Persian highways. According to the Samaritans, none of these would be paid by the Jews if Jerusalem was once fortified. And so thou shalt endamage the revenue. The general meaning is given correctly enough by this rendering, but "revenue" is not expressly mentioned. Aphthom, the word so translated, means really "at length," "at last." Translate, "And so at last thou shalt endamage the kings."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Let it now
כְּעַ֗ן (kə·‘an)
Adverb
Strong's 3705: Now

be
לֶהֱוֵ֣א (le·hĕ·wê)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1934: To become, come to pass, be

known
יְדִ֙יעַ֙ (yə·ḏî·a‘)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 3046: To know

to the king
לְמַלְכָּ֔א (lə·mal·kā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular determinate
Strong's 4430: A king

that
דִּ֠י (dî)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 1768: Who, which, that, because

if
הֵ֣ן (hên)
Conjunction
Strong's 2006: Lo!, there, less, whether, but, if

that
דָךְ֙ (ḏāḵ)
Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 1791: This

city
קִרְיְתָ֥א (qir·yə·ṯā)
Noun - feminine singular determinate
Strong's 7149: Building

is rebuilt
תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א (tiṯ·bə·nê)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1124: To build

and its walls
וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה (wə·šū·ray·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural determinate
Strong's 7792: A wall

are restored,
יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן (yiš·taḵ·lə·lūn)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3635: To complete

they will not
לָ֣א (lā)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3809: Not, no

pay
יִנְתְּנ֔וּן (yin·tə·nūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5415: To give

tribute,
מִנְדָּֽה־ (min·dāh-)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4061: Tribute in money

duty,
בְל֤וֹ (ḇə·lōw)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1093: Tribute

or toll,
וַהֲלָךְ֙ (wa·hă·lāḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1983: A journey, toll on goods at a, road

and the royal
מַלְכִ֖ים (mal·ḵîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4430: A king

treasury
וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם (wə·’ap·pə·ṯōm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 674: Revenue, others at the last

will suffer.
תְּהַנְזִֽק׃ (tə·han·ziq)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5142: To suffer injury


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OT History: Ezra 4:13 Be it known now to the king (Ezr. Ez)
Ezra 4:12
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