20. Powerful kings have reigned there and have ruled over the entire province of West 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 Artaxerxes was read to Rehum, Shimshai, and their associates, they hurried to Jerusalem and forced the Jews to stop rebuilding the city.
24. Work on the Temple had been stopped and had remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius, emperor of Persia.