Verse 4

Then there were those who said,“We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king on our fields and our vineyards.

Referenced Verses

• Ezra 4:13 : 13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.
• Ezra 4:20 : 20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates and who were the beneficiaries of tribute, custom, and toll.
• Ezra 7:24 : 24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.
• Neh 9:37 : 37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, and we are in great distress!
• Deut 28:47-48 : 47 The Curse of Military Siege“Because you have not served the LORD your God joyfully and wholeheartedly with the abundance of everything you have, 48 instead in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and poverty you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. They will place an iron yoke on your neck until they have destroyed you.
• Josh 16:10 : 10 The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.
• 1 Kgs 9:21 : 21 Their descendants remained in the land(the Israelites were unable to wipe them out completely). Solomon conscripted them for his work crews, and they continue in that role to this very day.