About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible::

About the Author of the Blogsite, Not the Author of the Bible: I was uncertain of how to accomplish this, mindful of Revelation 22:18-19, which says that nobody is to add to, or to take away from what was written in the Bible. After lots of prayerful contemplation, the Lord had it on my heart that I’m not to change the meaning of what is written in the Bible. He has also shown ways to add to people’s understating of that meaning, without altering the meaning, by putting that info within [brackets]. This is primarily accomplished with the KJV Bible and lots of prayers, but at times, BibleGateway.com, Biblehub.com, NIV Bible, Webster Dictionary, and other internet resources, as needed. Debra Seiling

About Understanding the Bible:

Understanding the Bible: After reading Isaiah 28:10 many times over the years and not totally understanding it, it recently became apparent to me that the Lord God has this passage as the means for understanding the Bible. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little. Isaiah 28:10 KJV. Being prayerful about this passage, and looking up 'precept' in the Webster's Dictionary, it gave this passage a whole new meaning, once 'commandment' is substituted for 'precept'. Within brackets are additional words the Lord had on my heart to aid in understanding the meaning. For commandment must be [built up] upon commandment; commandment upon commandment; line upon line, line upon line; [developing understanding] here a little, and there a little.

The Table Format:

The Table Format: I was overwhelmed with how to explain the process for determining if someone had leprosy in Leviticus 13, which seemed very complicated. After praying, "Lord, if this is difficult for me to understand after reading it many times, how can this be explained to others?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was for me to put it into a vertical chart to visually see the process. This made it much easier for me to follow the progression. After doing so, I prayed, "Lord, how can this be conveyed to readers, so that they can understand this process?" The thought the Lord God had on my heart was to put it within the lines of a table. Being a stiff-necked, stubborn person, as it's often called in the Bible, I prayed, asking the Lord God if He's sure that's really what He wanted me to do? I reluctantly put Leviticus 13 into a table format. When I read this difficult leprosy process within a table format, it suddenly became easier for me to understand. That's because it builds line upon line, as explained in the Understanding the Bible section. Shortly after that, the Lord God had it on my heart, to put all of The Books of the Bible in Smaller Chunks within a table format, to aid in understanding, line upon line.

12/27/2023

Ezra 4:1-24 Their Enemies Try to Stop the Rebuilding of the Lord God’s House

 

Their Enemies Continue to Try to Stop the Rebuilding of the Lord God’s House.   

Ezra 4:1-24      The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

Now, when the [enemies] of Judah & Benjamin heard that the children [people returned from] captivity [were building] a temple to the Lord God of Israel, then they came to Zerubbabel & the [leaders] of the [forefathers’ families] & said to them, Let us [rebuild] with you, [because] we seek your God, [like] you do.

And we [have sacrificed] to Him, since the days of Esar Haddon, [Assur’s] king, [who] brought us up [here.] But Zerubbabel & the [leaders of the forefathers’ families] of Israel said to them, You have [no part] with us [in building] a house to our God. 

But we [will rebuild] a house to the Lord, our God of Israel ourselves, together [for] the Lord God of Israel, [like] king Cyrus of Persia commanded us. Then, the people of the land [tried to discourage] & [weaken] the hands of the people of Judah & troubled them in building.

And [they] hired counselors to [keep them from attaining their goal,] all the days of Cyrus, [Persia’s king,] even until Darius, [Persia’s] king [ruled.] And in the beginning of [Ahasuerus’] reign, they wrote to him [with] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah & Jerusalem. 

And [during Artaxerxes’ reign,] Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel & the rest of their companions [wrote a] letter in the Syrian [language] to Artaxerxes, [Persia’s] king & [was] interpreted in the Syrian [language.] 

Rehum, the chancellor, [a.k.a. chief director of state] & Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter to Artaxerxes, the king, against Jerusalem [about] this. Then, Rehum & Shimshai wrote [with] the rest of their companions: 

The Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, the Elamites & the rest of the nations,

whom the great & noble Asnapper, [a.k.a. Ashurbanipal,] brought over & [put] in the cities of Samaria & the rest that are on this side [of] the [Euphrates] River, at [this] time.

This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes, the king. [From] your servants, the men of this side of the river, at [this] time. 

The king [should know] that the Jews [who] came up from you to us [have gone into] Jerusalem [& are] building the rebellious & bad city & have [put] up [its] walls & joined the foundations. 

The king [should also know] now that, if this city [is rebuilt] & the walls [are put] up again, then they won’t pay toll, [a.k.a. taxes,] tribute, or [customs, a.k.a. taxes on imports,] & so you shall [threaten ] the revenue of the kings. 

[Since,] we [receive support] from the king’s palace, it wasn’t [proper] for us to see the king [dishonored, so] we have sent & [informed] the king.

That [a] search may be made in book of the records of your [forefathers,] you shall find & know that this city is a rebellious city & [troublesome] to kings & provinces & they have [incited the people to rebel, like in the past,] which [caused] this city [to be] destroyed.

We [testify to] the king that, if this city [is rebuilt] & the walls [are restored,] you shall have [no control] on this side of the river. Then, the king [returned] an answer to Rehum, the [chief director of state,] to Shimshai, the scribe & the rest of their companions [who live] in Samaria & to the rest beyond the [Euphrates] River.

Peace [& so on.] The letter, [that] you sent to us has been read plainly [in front of] me. And I commanded & a search has been made & it is found that this city [in the past] has [revolted] against kings & that rebellion & [inciting riots] have been made [there.] 

Also, there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, [who] ruled over all [the] countries beyond the river & [taxes,] tribute & [taxes on imports were] paid to them. Now, give the [command] that these men [stop rebuilding] this city, until [I shall give] another [command.]

Now, [pay attention] & don’t fail to do this. Why should [this threat increase] & [harm] the kings? 

Now, when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read [in front of] Rehum, Shimshai & their companions, they [hurried] & went up to the Jews [in] Jerusalem & made them [stop] by force & power. Then, the work [on] the house of God [stopped] in Jerusalem [until] the 2nd year Darius, [Persia’s] king [ruled.]