The Building Stopped

While the foundations of the temple were being laid, and the Jews were very eager to build it, the neighboring nations, and especially the Cutheans, whom Shalmaneser king of Assyria had brought out of Persia and Media and planted in Samaria when he carried the people of Israel captive, begged the governors and those in charge of such affairs to hinder the Jews both in rebuilding their city and in building their temple. These men, corrupted by them with money, sold the Cutheans their help in making the building a slow and neglected work; for Cyrus, who was busy with other wars, knew nothing of all this. And it so happened that when he had led his army against the Massagetae, he died. When Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, had taken over the kingdom, the governors in Syria and Phoenicia and in the lands of Ammon, Moab and Samaria wrote a letter to Cambyses, which read as follows: “Master: your servants Rehum the recorder and Shimshai the scribe, and the judges of the council in Syria and Phoenicia. It is right, O king, that you should know that the Jews who were carried to Babylon have come into our country and are building that rebellious and wicked city, with its marketplaces, setting up its walls and raising up the temple. Know, then, that when these things are finished, they will not be willing to pay tribute or submit to your commands, but will resist kings, and will choose to rule over others rather than be ruled themselves. So we thought it proper to write to you, O king, while the work on the temple is going on so fast, and not to overlook this matter, so that you may search the books of your fathers; for you will find in them that the Jews have been rebels and enemies of kings, and so has their city, which for that reason has lain waste until now. We also thought it proper to inform you of this, since you might otherwise not know it: if this city is once inhabited and fully enclosed with walls, you will be shut out from your way to Coele-Syria and Phoenicia.” [a]

When Cambyses had read the letter, being wicked by nature, he was angered by what they told him, and wrote back to them as follows: “Cambyses the king, to Rehum the recorder, to Beelteemos, to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest who hold office and live in Samaria and Phoenicia, writes as follows: I have read the letter you sent, and I ordered the books of my forefathers to be searched, and it is found there that this city has always been an enemy to kings, and its inhabitants have raised revolts and wars. We also know that their kings have been powerful and tyrannical, and have exacted tribute from Coele-Syria and Phoenicia. So I have ordered that the Jews shall not be allowed to build that city, so that the mischief they used to bring on kings may not be greatly increased.” When this letter was read, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates mounted their horses at once and hurried to Jerusalem. They also brought a large company with them, and forbade the Jews to build the city and the temple. So the work was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia, for nine years more; for Cambyses reigned six years, conquered Egypt in that time, and when he came back died at Damascus. [h]