Ezra 4:1-3

Adversaries Oppose the Rebuilding

¹ Now when _g the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, ² they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever _h since the days of _i Esarhaddon king of Assyria _j who brought us here." ³ But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, _k "You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, _l as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us."

1. Cross References
   Ezra 4:7 - 10
   In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated.
   
2. Cross References
   2 Kings 17:24
   And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.
   2 Kings 17:32 - 33
   They also feared the Lord and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.
   
3. Cross References
   2 Kings 19:37
   And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.
   
4. Cross References
   Ezra 4:10
   And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River.
   
5. Cross References
   Nehemiah 2:20
   Then I replied to them, "The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.
   
6. Cross References
   Ezra 1:1 - 3
   In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: