Ezra 4:9 Meaning and Explanation
“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,”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The letter lists the many resettled peoples who join Rehum and Shimshai in the complaint.
What Does Ezra 4:9 Mean?
The letter opens with a long roster of the peoples joining the complaint. These groups, named by their cities and regions of origin, were the mixed populations that Assyrian and Babylonian kings had transplanted into the land. The catalogue establishes that the accusation came not from a single voice but from a coalition of resettled nations gathered against the small returned community.
A united front of opposition can look overwhelming. Many peoples, many names, all aligned against a handful of faithful builders. But numbers are not the measure of a cause. Throughout Scripture God delights to work through the few against the many, so that the deliverance is plainly His own. The crowd arrayed against Jerusalem here is real, yet it is no greater than the God who set His name in that city and would not let His purpose fail.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ezra 4:9
What does Ezra 4:9 mean?
The letter lists the many resettled peoples who join Rehum and Shimshai in the complaint.