Bible Cross References
A. M. 3470. B.C. 534. A Song of degrees
Ezra 4:1-23
1
The enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that those who had returned from exile were rebuilding the Temple of the LORD, the God of Israel.
2
So they went to see Zerubbabel and the heads of the clans and said, "Let us join you in building the Temple. We worship the same God you worship, and we have been offering sacrifices to him ever since Emperor Esarhaddon of Assyria sent us here to live."
3
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the heads of the clans told them, "We don't need your help to build a temple for the LORD our God. We will build it ourselves, just as Emperor Cyrus of Persia commanded us."
4
Then the people who had been living in the land tried to discourage and frighten the Jews and keep them from building.
5
They also bribed Persian government officials to work against them. They kept on doing this throughout the reign of Emperor Cyrus and into the reign of Emperor Darius.
6
At the beginning of the reign of Emperor Xerxes, the enemies of the people living in Judah and Jerusalem brought written charges against them.
7
Again in the reign of Emperor Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and their associates wrote a letter to the emperor. The letter was written in Aramaic and was to be translated when read.
8
Also Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the secretary of the province, wrote the following letter to Emperor Artaxerxes about Jerusalem:
9
"From Rehum, the governor, from Shimshai, secretary of the province, from their associates, the judges, and from all the other officials, who are originally from Erech, Babylon, and Susa in the land of Elam,
10
together with the other peoples whom the great and powerful Ashurbanipal moved from their homes and settled in the city of Samaria and elsewhere in West-of-Euphrates Province."
11
This is the text of the letter: "To Emperor Artaxerxes from his servants who live in West-of-Euphrates.
12
"We want Your Majesty to know that the Jews who came here from your other territories have settled in Jerusalem and are rebuilding that evil and rebellious city. They have begun to rebuild the walls and will soon finish them.
13
Your Majesty, if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the people will stop paying taxes, and your royal revenues will decrease.
14
Now, because we are under obligation to Your Majesty, we do not want to see this happen, and so we suggest
15
that you order a search to be made in the records your ancestors kept. If you do, you will discover that this city has always been rebellious and that from ancient times it has given trouble to kings and to rulers of provinces. Its people have always been hard to govern. This is why the city was destroyed.
16
We therefore are convinced that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, Your Majesty will no longer be able to control West-of-Euphrates Province."
17
The emperor sent this answer: "To Rehum, the governor, to Shimshai, secretary of the province, and to their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of West-of-Euphrates, greetings.
18
"The letter which you sent has been translated and read to me.
19
I gave orders for an investigation to be made, and it has indeed been found that from ancient times Jerusalem has revolted against royal authority and that it has been full of rebels and troublemakers.
20
Powerful kings have reigned there and have ruled over the entire province of West-of-Euphrates, collecting taxes and revenue.
21
Therefore you are to issue orders that those men are to stop rebuilding the city until I give further commands.
22
Do this at once, so that no more harm may be done to my interests."
23
As soon as this letter from Emperor Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their associates, they hurried to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop rebuilding the city.
Psalm 120:1
When I was in trouble, I called to the LORD, and he answered me.
Psalm 121:1
I look to the mountains; where will my help come from?
Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the LORD's house."
Psalm 123:1
LORD, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule.
Psalm 124:1
What if the LORD had not been on our side? Answer, O Israel!
Psalm 125:1
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which can never be shaken, never be moved.
Psalm 126:1
When the LORD brought us back to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!
Psalm 127:1
If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.
Psalm 128:1
Happy are those who obey the LORD, who live by his commands.
have they
Exodus 1:12-14
12
But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they increased in number and the farther they spread through the land. The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites
13
and made their lives miserable by forcing them into cruel slavery. They made them work on their building projects and in their fields, and they had no pity on them.
14
(SEE 1:13)
Exodus 1:22-14
Exodus 5:7-19
7
"Stop giving the people straw for making bricks. Make them go and find it for themselves.
8
But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God!
9
Make them work harder and keep them busy, so that they won't have time to listen to a pack of lies."
10
The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites, "The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw.
11
He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks."
12
So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw.
13
The slave drivers kept trying to force them to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made when they were given straw.
14
The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, "Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?"
15
Then the foremen went to the king and complained, "Why do you do this to us, Your Majesty?
16
We are given no straw, but we are still ordered to make bricks! And now we are being beaten. It is your people that are at fault."
17
The king answered, "You are lazy and don't want to work, and that is why you ask me to let you go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.
18
Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks."
19
The foremen realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they had to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made before.
Judges 2:15
Every time they would go into battle, the LORD was against them, just as he had said he would be. They were in great distress.
Judges 10:8-12
8
For eighteen years they oppressed and persecuted all the Israelites who lived in Amorite country east of the Jordan River in Gilead.
9
The Ammonites even crossed the Jordan to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel was in great distress.
10
Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD and said, "We have sinned against you, for we left you, our God, and worshiped the Baals."
11
The LORD gave them this answer: "The Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,
12
the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you in the past, and you cried out to me. Did I not save you from them?
1 Samuel 13:19
There were no blacksmiths in Israel because the Philistines were determined to keep the Hebrews from making swords and spears.
Lamentations 1:3
Judah's people are helpless slaves, forced away from home. They live in other lands, with no place to call their own--- Surrounded by enemies, with no way to escape.
from
Jeremiah 2:2
to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem. "I remember how faithful you were when you were young, how you loved me when we were first married; you followed me through the desert, through a land that had not been planted.
Ezekiel 23:3
When they were young, living in Egypt, they lost their virginity and became prostitutes.
Hosea 2:15
I will give back to her the vineyards she had and make Trouble Valley a door of hope. She will respond to me there as she did when she was young, when she came from Egypt.
Hosea 11:1
The LORD says, "When Israel was a child, I loved him and called him out of Egypt as my son.
may
Psalm 124:1
What if the LORD had not been on our side? Answer, O Israel!