Lives of Scripture

Rehum, called 'the commander,' along with Shimshai the scribe and other officials, wrote a formal letter of accusation to King Artaxerxes of Persia, opposing the rebuilding efforts underway in Jerusalem (Ezra 4:8-9). The letter warned the king that Jerusalem was historically 'a rebellious and evil city,' that its people had a record of withholding tribute and revolting against previous kings, and that if the walls were completed, the king would lose control of the entire region west of the Euphrates (4:12-16). Artaxerxes had the royal records searched, confirmed Jerusalem's history of rebellion, and issued a decree ordering the work stopped 'by force' until he gave further orders (4:17-22). Rehum and Shimshai, receiving the king's letter, went at once to Jerusalem and compelled the workers to stop, halting reconstruction until the second year of King Darius (4:23-24). Though Rehum's letter is presented in Ezra without editorial comment on his motives, his opposition forms a real setback in the post-exilic community's efforts to rebuild -- work that would only resume once the prophets Haggai and Zechariah stirred the people to finish the temple, and, later, once Nehemiah secured royal permission to rebuild the walls themselves under a different king's favor.