False Accusation: Incidents Illustrative of Against Jews, Returned Under Ezra
Source: Nav
Ezra 4:6–16
At the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, an accusation was lodged against the people of Judah and Jerusalem. / And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated. / Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote the letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:
Nehemiah 6:6–8
that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king, / and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.” / Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”