The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:
This is a copy of the letter that Tatnai, the governor of the region west of the Euphrates River, along with Shethar-bozenai and their fellow officials who governed that same region, sent to King Darius:
This verse introduces a formal letter that Persian officials sent to their king about the Jewish temple reconstruction project.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Ezra, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were working to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem under the oversight of the Persian Empire. Tatnai, as the governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River, along with his officials, sent a letter to King Darius to inquire about the legitimacy of the Jews' rebuilding efforts, reflecting the tensions and bureaucratic processes of that era. This interaction underscores the reliance on imperial authority for religious and communal restoration.
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