Ezra 4:20

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the entire region beyond the River, and taxes, tribute, and customs were paid to them.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וּמַלְכִ֣ין תַּקִּיפִ֗ין הֲווֹ֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשְׁלֶ֔ם וְשַׁ֨לִּיטִ֔ין בְּכֹ֖ל עֲבַ֣ר נַהֲרָ֑ה וּמִדָּ֥ה בְל֛וֹ וַהֲלָ֖ךְ מִתְיְהֵ֥ב לְהֽוֹן׃

Transliteration

And kings ûmalkîn mighty taqqîpîn have been hăwô over ʿal-yᵉrûšᵉlem and ruling wᵉšallîṭîn in all bᵉkōl ʿăbar nahărāh; and tax ûmiddāh toll bᵉlô and custom wahălāk was given mityᵉhēb to them lᵉhôn.

Grammar Details

• *ûmalkîn*: waw-conjunction + noun, masculine plural - and kings
• *taqqîpîn*: adjective, masculine plural - mighty/powerful
• *hăwô*: peal perfect, 3rd plural - have been
• *ʿal*: preposition - over
• *yᵉrûšᵉlem*: proper noun - Jerusalem
• *wᵉšallîṭîn*: waw-conjunction + adjective, masculine plural - and ruling
• *bᵉkōl*: preposition + noun, masculine singular - in all
• *ʿăbar*: noun, masculine singular construct - beyond
• *nahărāh*: noun, masculine singular with Aramaic definite article - the river
• *ûmiddāh*: waw-conjunction + noun, feminine singular - and tax
• *bᵉlô*: noun, masculine singular - toll/tribute
• *wahălāk*: waw-conjunction + noun, masculine singular - and custom/duty
• *mityᵉhēb*: hitpeel participle, masculine singular - being given
• *lᵉhôn*: preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - to them

Word Meanings

• *taqqîpîn*: mighty/powerful/strong
• *wᵉšallîṭîn*: ruling/having authority
• *ʿăbar* *nahărāh*: beyond the River/Trans-Euphrates
• *ûmiddāh*: tax/tribute
• *bᵉlô*: toll/tribute
• *wahălāk*: custom/duty

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, were paid to them.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  There haue bene mightie kynges also at Ierusale, which haue reigned ouer all that is beyonde the water, and toll, tribute and yearly custome was geuen vnto them.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  There haue bene mightie kings also ouer Ierusalem, which haue ruled ouer all beyonde the Riuer, and tolle, tribute, and custome was giuen vnto them.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  There haue ben mightie kinges also at Hierusalem, which haue raigned ouer all countreys beyond the water: and toule, tribute, and custome was geuen vnto them,

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all [countries] beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, even rulers over all beyond the river, and toll, tribute, and custom is given to them.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all `the country' beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid unto them.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Further, there have been great kings in Jerusalem, ruling over all the country across the river, to whom they gave taxes and payments in goods and forced payments.

• World English Bible (2000)

  There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all [the country] beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 15:18 : 18 On that day, the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River—
• Ps 72:8 : 8 He will have dominion from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.
• 1 Chr 18:3 : 3 David defeated Hadadezer, king of Zobah, near Hamath when Hadadezer went to establish his control over the Euphrates River.
• 1 Chr 18:6 : 6 David stationed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became his servants, bringing him tribute. The Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
• 1 Chr 18:13 : 13 David stationed garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became his servants. The Lord gave David victory wherever he went.
• 1 Chr 19:19 : 19 When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. After this, the Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
• 2 Chr 9:14 : 14 not counting what the merchants and traders brought. All the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
• 2 Chr 9:23-24 : 23 All the kings of the earth sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. 24 Each year, men brought their gifts to Solomon: articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
• 2 Chr 17:11 : 11 The Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabians brought him flocks—7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.
• 2 Chr 26:7-8 : 7 God helped him against the Philistines, the Arabs who lived in Gur-Baal, and the Meunites. 8 The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he became very powerful.
• Ezra 4:13 : 13 Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, they will not pay tribute, taxes, or customs, and the king’s treasury will suffer.
• Ezra 4:16 : 16 We are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, then you will have no control over the region beyond the River.
• Ezra 7:24 : 24 Furthermore, we notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, tax, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or other workers in this house of God.
• Josh 1:3-4 : 3 Every place the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 Your territory will stretch from the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river, the Euphrates River—all the land of the Hittites—and westward to the Great Sea, where the sun sets.