King James Version

What Does Ezra 4:19 Mean?

Ezra 4:19 in the King James Version says “And I commanded , and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against k...” — study this verse from Ezra chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And I commanded , and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. I commanded: Chald. by me a decree is set made insurrection: Chald. lifted up itself”

Ezra 4:19 · KJV

Context

17

Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor , and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. companions: Chal. societies

18

The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.

19

And I commanded , and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. I commanded: Chald. by me a decree is set made insurrection: Chald. lifted up itself

20

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.

21

Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me. Give: Chaldee, Make a decree

Read Ezra 4 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. Artaxerxes responded to the opponents' suggestion (v.15) by ordering archival research. The phrase 'I commanded, and search hath been made' shows royal initiative in verification rather than blindly accepting accusations. This demonstrates both Persian administrative sophistication and the king's cautiousness. The passive 'hath been made' suggests scribes conducted the actual research, but the king took responsibility for ordering it.

The findings confirmed opponents' basic claim: 'this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings.' Jerusalem had indeed rebelled against Babylon, and Persian archives inherited from conquered Babylon documented these rebellions. The three terms—'insurrection' (mithnase, מִתְנַשֵּׂא), 'rebellion' (mered, מֶרֶד), and 'sedition' (ishtaddur, אִשְׁתַּדּוּר)—emphasize the city's historical defiance. This repetition intensified the characterization beyond neutral historical observation to hostile judgment.

Theologically, this verse illustrates how selective historical truth can support false conclusions. Jerusalem did rebel against Babylon, but that history didn't mean current returnees plotting rebellion against Persia. Past disobedience under different circumstances shouldn't determine present assessment. Yet opponents successfully used selective history to prejudice the king against innocent people. This pattern continues—past failures are often weaponized against those genuinely pursuing obedience.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Persian archives would have contained detailed Babylonian records about Jerusalem and Judah. The Babylonian Chronicles, partially preserved archaeologically, documented military campaigns including those against Jerusalem. These records would have described Jehoiakim's rebellion (2 Kings 24:1), Zedekiah's revolt (2 Kings 24:20-25:21), and the resulting destructions. This historical data was accurate.

However, the research failed to note crucial context: God had ordained those rebellions' punishment through Babylon (Jeremiah 25:8-11), Persia had replaced Babylon as the dominant power under different policies, and Cyrus himself had authorized the return (Ezra 1:1-4). Raw historical data without proper context creates misleading conclusions. The archives provided facts but not theological or political wisdom to interpret them correctly.

Ancient record-keeping practices emphasized events affecting imperial interests—rebellions, tax payments, military campaigns. Archival research could easily confirm Jerusalem's rebellious past because those events merited documentation. More mundane periods of loyalty received less attention. This created documentation bias where problematic behavior was overrepresented in records compared to faithful compliance.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does selective use of historical truth lead to false conclusions about present realities?
  2. What does Artaxerxes' archival research teach about the importance and limitations of historical investigation?
  3. How should Christians respond when opponents cite their past failures to discredit current faithful service?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
מִן1 of 18

“And I”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

שִׂ֣ים2 of 18

“commanded”

H7761

to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)

טְעֵם֒3 of 18
H2942

properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment (both subjective and objective); hence, account (both subjectively and objectively)

וּבַקַּ֣רוּ4 of 18

“and search”

H1240

properly, to plough, or (generally) break forth, i.e., (figuratively) to inspect, admire, care for, consider

וְהַשְׁכַּ֔חוּ5 of 18

“hath been made and it is found”

H7912

to discover (literally or figuratively)

דִּ֚י6 of 18
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

קִרְיְתָ֣א7 of 18

“city”

H7149

building; a city

דָ֔ךְ8 of 18

“that this”

H1791

this

מִן9 of 18

“And I”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

יוֹמָת֙10 of 18

“time”

H3118

a day

עָֽלְמָ֔א11 of 18

“old”

H5957

remote time, i.e., the future or past indefinitely; often adverb, forever

עַל12 of 18

“against”

H5922

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

מַלְכִ֖ין13 of 18

“kings”

H4430

a king

מִֽתְנַשְּׂאָ֑ה14 of 18

“hath made insurrection”

H5376

to carry away

וּמְרַ֥ד15 of 18

“and that rebellion”

H4776

rebellion

וְאֶשְׁתַּדּ֖וּר16 of 18

“and sedition”

H849

rebellion

מִתְעֲבֶד17 of 18

“have been made”

H5648

to do, make, prepare, keep, etc

בַּֽהּ׃18 of 18
H0

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 4:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 4:19 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Kings 18:7Proverbs 25:2Ezekiel 17:13-19Ezra 5:17-6:22 Kings 24:20Ezra 4:15

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books
View all places in Ezra 4 →

Test Your Knowledge

Ezra 4 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterEzra Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Ezra 4 with CommentaryAll Ezra ChaptersComplete Ezra QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes