And in the daysof Artaxerxes,Bishlam,Mithredath,Tabeeland the restof his colleagueswroteto Artaxerxeskingof Persia;and the textof the letterwas writtenin Aramaicand translated[from] Aramaic.
Then Eliakimthe sonof Hilkiah,and Shebnahand Joah,saidto Rabshakeh,"Speaknowto your servantsin Aramaic,for we understand[it]; and do not speakwith us in Judeanin the hearingof the peoplewhoare on the wall."
Now when the enemiesof Judahand Benjaminheardthat the peopleof the exilewere buildinga templeto the LORDGodof Israel,
[Then] the kingsentan answerto Rehumthe commander,to Shimshaithe scribe,and to the restof their colleagueswholivein Samariaand in the restof [the provinces] beyondthe River:"Peace.And now
Rehumthe commanderand Shimshaithe scribewrotea letteragainstJerusalemto KingArtaxerxes,as follows--
then[wrote] Rehumthe commanderand Shimshaithe scribeand the restof their colleagues,the judgesand the lessergovernors,the officials,the secretaries,the menof Erech,the Babylonians,the menof Susa,that is, the Elamites,
[This is] the copyof the letterwhichTattenai,the governorof [the province] beyondthe River,and Shethar-bozenaiand his colleaguesthe officials,whowere beyondthe River,sentto Dariusthe king.
Now afterthesethings,in the reignof Artaxerxeskingof Persia,[there went up] Ezrasonof Seraiah,sonof Azariah,sonof Hilkiah,
Then they deliveredthe king'sedictsto the king'ssatrapsand to the governors[in the provinces] beyondthe River,and they supportedthe peopleand the houseof God.
And it cameabout in the monthNisan,in the twentiethyearof KingArtaxerxes,that wine[was] beforehim, and I tookup the wineand gaveit to the king.Now I had not beensadin his presence.
Then Eliakimand Shebnaand Joahsaidto Rabshakeh,"Speaknowto your servantsin Aramaic,for we understand[it]; and do not speakwith us in Judeanin the hearingof the peoplewhoare on the wall."
"And nowI will tellyou the truth.Behold,threemorekingsare going to arisein Persia.Then a fourthwill gainfarmorerichesthanall[of them]; as soon as he becomes strongthrough his riches,he will arousethe whole[empire] against the realmof Greece.
Then the Chaldeansspoketo the kingin Aramaic:"O king,liveforever!Tellthe dreamto your servants,and we will declarethe interpretation."
