Ezra 4:6

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ובמלכות וּבְמַלְכוּת

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ב

bə

Definition

in, by

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(beth) — in / within / by means of

Core value: interiority, enclosure, participation

ב does not primarily mean “in time” (“when”) or even “in space.” It marks being inside a domain, whether that domain is:
- spatial (house, land),
- conceptual (wisdom, covenant),
- modal (strength, fear),
- instrumental (by means of).
Aonically, ב marks immersion.
not “when X happened” but “within the state or field of X.”
This is why ב־יום does not need to mean “on the day (chronological)” but “within the day-realm / condition”.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

מלכות

malkûwth

Definition

a rule; concretely, a dominion

Root

or מלכת; or (in plural) מלכיה; from H4427 (מלך);

Exhaustive

or מלכת; or (in plural) מלכיה; from מלך; a rule; concretely, a dominion; empire, kingdom, realm, reign, royal.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4438

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מַלְכוּת

noun feminine • Root מלך • Strongs / High • Page 860

1. kingship, rule, supremacy, royal dignity. 2. a kingdom (people under kingly rule).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מַלְכוּת

f. denom. • Root מלך • Page 381

1. Royalty, royal dignity, reign; used in later writers (1 Chr. 12: 23; Dan. 1: 1). 2. A kingdom (2 Chr. 11: 17; Dan. 9: 1).

Conjunction, Preposition, Noun common feminine singular construct

LXX: βασιλείασ βασιλείᾳ βασιλεία ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H4438:

βασιλείασ 25× (16.6%)

βασιλείᾳ 15× (9.4%)

βασιλείασ 13× (8.4%)

βασιλεία 12× (7.7%)

'' 11× (7.1%)

βασιλείαν 10× (6.2%)

βασιλεία 9× (5.9%)

'' 7× (4.5%)

βασιλείαν 7× (4.4%)

βασιλέωσ 4× (3.0%)

אחשורוש אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ

I am Keeping Quiet and Have Been Poor (Ahash-u-rosh)

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אחשורוש

ʼĂchashvêrôwsh

Definition

Achashverosh (i.e. Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king

Root

or (shortened) אחשרש (Esther 10:1); of Persian origin;

Exhaustive

or (shortened) אחשרש (Esther 10:1); of Persian origin; Achashverosh (i.e. Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king; Ahasuerus.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H325

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ

noun proper • Strongs_Numbers • Page 105

Proper noun or title of a Persian king (generally identified with Xerxes).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ

noun proper • Page 41

a name or title which is given to several different Persian kings. Dan. 9:1. Ezra 4:6. Est. 1:1. Signification is uncertain, likely involving the Persian elements for 'excellence' or 'prince'.

Noun proper name masculine

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0325:

No stats available

בתחלת בִּתְחִלַּת

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ב

bə

Definition

in, by

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(beth) — in / within / by means of

Core value: interiority, enclosure, participation

ב does not primarily mean “in time” (“when”) or even “in space.” It marks being inside a domain, whether that domain is:
- spatial (house, land),
- conceptual (wisdom, covenant),
- modal (strength, fear),
- instrumental (by means of).
Aonically, ב marks immersion.
not “when X happened” but “within the state or field of X.”
This is why ב־יום does not need to mean “on the day (chronological)” but “within the day-realm / condition”.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

תחלה

tᵉchillâh

Definition

a commencement; rel. original (adverb, -ly)

Root

from H2490 (חלל) in the sense of opening;

Exhaustive

from חלל in the sense of opening; a commencement; rel. original (adverb, -ly); begin(-ning), first (time).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H8462

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

תְּחִלָּה

noun feminine • Root חלל • Strongs / High • Page 1507

(constr. תְּחִלַּת; from חָלַל I.) f. a beginning Prov. 9, 10; Hos. 1, 2; בַּתְּחִלָּה in the beginning, i. e. before, formerly Gen. 13, 3; 41, 21; Is. 1, 26; earlier, at an earlier time = רִאשֹׁנָה Dan. 8, 1.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

תְּחִלָּה

noun feminine • Root חלל • Page 712

The beginning. Hos. 1:2; Prov. 9:10; Gen. 13:3; 41:21; 43:18, 20; Is. 1:26.

Preposition, Noun common feminine singular construct

LXX: ἀρχῇ ἀφηγούμενοσ ἀρχὴ ἀρχὴν ἀρχήν

LXX Usage Statistics

H8462:

ἀρχῇ 7× (28.3%)

ἀφηγούμενοσ 3× (14.3%)

ἀρχὴ 2× (9.5%)

ἀρχὴν 2× (8.1%)

ἀρχήν 2× (7.4%)

מלכותו מַלְכוּתוֹ

queens of himself

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מלכות

malkûwth

Definition

a rule; concretely, a dominion

Root

or מלכת; or (in plural) מלכיה; from H4427 (מלך);

Exhaustive

or מלכת; or (in plural) מלכיה; from מלך; a rule; concretely, a dominion; empire, kingdom, realm, reign, royal.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4438

הו

Definition

his, personal posessive - noun suffix: 3rd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 3rd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9023

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מַלְכוּת

noun feminine • Root מלך • Strongs / High • Page 860

1. kingship, rule, supremacy, royal dignity. 2. a kingdom (people under kingly rule).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מַלְכוּת

f. denom. • Root מלך • Page 381

1. Royalty, royal dignity, reign; used in later writers (1 Chr. 12: 23; Dan. 1: 1). 2. A kingdom (2 Chr. 11: 17; Dan. 9: 1).

Noun common feminine singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular

LXX: βασιλείασ βασιλείᾳ βασιλεία ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H4438:

βασιλείασ 25× (16.6%)

βασιλείᾳ 15× (9.4%)

βασιλείασ 13× (8.4%)

βασιλεία 12× (7.7%)

'' 11× (7.1%)

βασιλείαν 10× (6.2%)

βασιλεία 9× (5.9%)

'' 7× (4.5%)

βασιλείαν 7× (4.4%)

βασιλέωσ 4× (3.0%)

כתבו כָּתְבוּ

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

כתב

kâthab

Definition

to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe); describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3789

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

כָּתַב

verb • Root כתב • Strongs / High • Page 748

To write down, inscribe, record; to enroll in a register; in a judicial sense, to decree a punitive process; to prescribe; to subscribe.

Verb Qal perfect third person common plural

LXX: γεγραμμένα ἔγραψεν γέγραπται γεγραμμένοι γράψον

LXX Usage Statistics

H3789:

γεγραμμένα 46× (18.4%)

ἔγραψεν 31× (11.5%)

γέγραπται 19× (7.4%)

γεγραμμένοι 13× (5.4%)

γράψον 10× (3.9%)

γεγραμμένον 6× (2.2%)

γεγραμμένασ 6× (2.3%)

'' 6× (2.1%)

αὐτὰ 5× (1.5%)

ἔγραψασ 4× (1.6%)

שטנה שִׂטְנָה

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

שטנה

siṭnâh

Definition

opposition (by letter)

Root

from H7853 (שטן);

Exhaustive

from שטן; opposition (by letter); accusation.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7855

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

שִׂטְנָה

noun feminine • Root שטן • Strongs / High • Page 1412

Accusation, enmity.

שִׂטְנָה

noun feminine • Strongs / High • Page 1413

1. accusation, letter of accusation. 2. (well of strife) n. p. of a well.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

שִׂטְנָה

f. verbal from שָׂטַן • Root שטן • Page 638

1. an accusation. Ezra 4:6. 2. proper name of a well, so called from a contention of Isaac with the Philistines. Gen. 26:21.

Noun common feminine singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H7855:

No stats available

על עַל־

upon/against/yoke

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

על

ʻal

Definition

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

Root

properly, the same as H5920 (על) used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following);

Exhaustive

properly, the same as על used as a preposition (in the singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications; above, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-) on, over, than, through(-out), to, touching, [idiom] with.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5921

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עַל

adjective / noun • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1088

Highest; same as עֶלְיוֹן. This form is abridged from עָלָה and derived from עָלַי (like יַד from יָדָה I.), serving as the construct form עֲלֵי (out of עֲלַאי).

עַל

preposition / adverb • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1088

A preposition: upon, over, above, super, in the widest sense. It expresses protecting, covering, resting above upon (answering to 'where'); motion toward the upper surface (answering to 'whither?'); local direction to a more distant agency; or proximity/timing ('with, at'). Used figuratively as dat. commodi and incommodi, meaning a burden or duty upon one, or with certain verbs replacing the dative case. Also expresses motion down upon or up to, sometimes interchanging with אֶל.

עַל

preposition / adverb • Strongs / High • Page 1089

Preposition or Adverb meaning upon, over, at, above (denoting physical overtopping or mental superiority/dominion); expressing addition (to, reckoned to); proximity (by, around); suitability (according to); or occasionally used concessively (though, quanquam).

עַל

preposition / particle / conjunction • Strongs / High • Page 1090

Properly, over, upon, concerning, notwithstanding, against, towards, for the sake of, on account of. Used to express position, antithesis, or distance (away from). After certain verbs, signifies giving way, removing, or fleeing. Also forms various compound particles (e.g., עַל-מָה, עַל-כֵּן, עַל אֲשֶׁר).

עַל

preposition (aramaic) • Root אלא • Strongs / High • Page 1090

Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew עַל. Means: Upon, over, on account of, unto, against, or dative. (Used with suffixes like עָלַי, עָלֵךְ, עֲלֵיהוֹן).

עַל

noun / prepos. • Root עלה • Strongs / High • Page 1092

Derivative of עָלָה, listed as a noun and a preposition.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עַל

substantive / adverb / adjective • Root עלה • Page 507

Strictly a substantive meaning whatever is high or uppermost (Hos. 7:16, 11:7). Used as an adverb: (1.) 'above' (Gen. 27:39, 49:25; Ps. 50:4). Used as an adjective: (2.) 'high' (2 Sam. 23:1).

Preposition

LXX: ἐπὶ ἐπ' ἐφ' τοῦτο ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H5921a:

ἐπὶ 1722× (33.1%)

ἐπ' 701× (13.4%)

ἐφ' 195× (3.7%)

τοῦτο 116× (1.9%)

'' 116× (1.9%)

περὶ 113× (2.2%)

ἀπὸ 108× (2.1%)

--- 108× (2.1%)

αὐτοὺσ 95× (1.6%)

εἰσ 93× (1.8%)

ישבי יֹשְׁבֵי

those who are seated down

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ישב

yâshab

Definition

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3427

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יָשַׁב

verb • Root ישב • Strongs / High • Page 656

To sit, remain, dwell. The fundamental meaning is to keep firmly in a place, to hold it firmly, to possess it, and therefore to sit. Piel (יִשֵּׁב): to pitch a dwelling. Hifil (הוֹשִׁיב): to cause to sit, to cause to dwell, to cause to be inhabited. Hophal (הוּשַׁב): to be inhabited, to be made to dwell, to be settled in.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יָשַׁב

verb • Root ישב • Page 301

1. To seat one's self, to sit (Ps. 9:8, Ps. 80:2, Is. 37:16). Includes sitting as a judge (Ps. 9:8) or lying in wait (Ps. 10:8). 2. To continue (Gen. 24:55, 29:19, Hos. 3:3). 3. To dwell (Gen. 13:6, Gen. 4:20, Ps. 22:4). 4. Passive: to be inhabited or habitable (Is. 13:20, Jer. 17:6). Niph. נוֹשַׁב to be inhabited (Ex. 16:35).

Verb Qal participle active masculine plural construct

LXX: κατοικοῦντασ κατοικοῦντεσ ἐκάθισεν ἐκάθισαν κατῴκησεν

LXX Usage Statistics

H3427:

κατοικοῦντασ 88× (7.4%)

κατοικοῦντεσ 80× (6.4%)

ἐκάθισεν 61× (5.4%)

ἐκάθισαν 37× (3.4%)

κατῴκησεν 34× (3.1%)

ἐκάθητο 29× (2.8%)

κατῴκησαν 28× (2.6%)

κατῴκει 24× (2.3%)

κατοικοῦσιν 23× (2.0%)

κατοικεῖν 23× (2.2%)

יהודה יְהוּדָה

Caster

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

יהודה

Yᵉhûwdâh

Definition

Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

Root

from H3034 (ידה); celebrated;

Exhaustive

from ידה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3063

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יְהוּדָה

noun proper masculine • Root ידה • Strongs / High • Page 589

Proper name of the fourth son of Leah and Jacob. Also the name of one of the twelve tribes, the district allotted to that tribe, the subsequent kingdom of Judah, and in the post-exile period, the whole Jewish land.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יְהוּדָה

proper name • Root ידה • Page 271

Proper name; Judah. Derived from יָדָה.

יְהוּדָה

noun • Page 274

1. Fourth son of Jacob and the tribe descended from him. 2. The kingdom and people of Judah after the division of the kingdom. Refers to the territory and the people. Josh. xv, Is. 3:8.

Noun proper name

LXX: ιουδα ιουδαν ιουδασ '' ιουδαίασ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3063:

ιουδα 582× (74.3%)

ιουδαν 59× (7.0%)

ιουδασ 57× (7.3%)

'' 31× (3.5%)

ιουδαίασ 23× (2.5%)

--- 15× (2.0%)

ιουδαίᾳ 10× (1.0%)

ιουδαία 6× (0.6%)

ιουδαίαν 3× (0.3%)

pἐν 2× (0.3%)

וירושלםס וִירוּשָׁלִָם׃ס

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ירושל͏ם

Yᵉrûwshâlaim

Definition

Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine

Root

rarely ירושלים; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390 (ירושלם))); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 (ירה) and H7999 (שלם); founded peaceful;

Exhaustive

rarely ירושלים; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of ירושלם)); probably from (the passive participle of) ירה and שלם; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine; Jerusalem.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3389

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלֵם

unknown • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1438

see יְרוּשָׁלַיִם.

Matched via consonantal key only

יְרוּשָׁלַ֫םִ

noun proper feminine • Root ירה • Consonantal / Medium • Page 647

Jerusalem. (originating in יְרֻשָׁלֵם) n. p. f. the metropolis of the Israelite kingdom from David onward.

Matched via consonantal key only

יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם

proper noun • Root , ירה שלם • Consonantal / Medium • Page 648

Jerusalem, the name of a city in Palestine. The name was also used for its inhabitants, and poetically as an image of beauty.

Matched via consonantal key only

יְרוּשְׁלֵם

proper noun (aramaic) • Root ירושלם • Consonantal / Medium • Page 648

An alternate Aramaic name for Jerusalem.

Matched via consonantal key only

יְרוּשְׁלֶם

proper noun (aramaic) • Root ירושלם • Consonantal / Medium • Page 648

The Aramaic name for Jerusalem.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יְרוּשָׁלַם

proper name • Page 682

Jerusalem. Gen. 14:18. Ps. 76:3. Its appellative signification here is health, peace, i. q. שָׁלוֹם.

Conjunction, Noun proper name

LXX: ιερουσαλημ pεἰσ --- ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H3389:

ιερουσαλημ 564× (80.9%)

pεἰσ 47× (7.5%)

ιερουσαλημ 25× (3.4%)

--- 16× (2.6%)

'' 12× (1.6%)

pἐν 11× (1.8%)

pἐπὶ 5× (0.8%)

[a] 2× (0.2%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his kingdom, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

LITV Translation:
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, even in the beginning of his reign, they wrote a letter against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.