Definition: And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this Bible verse. It’s a bit complex, but here's my explanation: “Ezra 4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes, wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.” Basically, this verse describes a letter sent to King Artaxerxes of Persia. Here’s what it means piece by piece: “In the days of Artaxerxes…” : This tells us when the letter was written – around 46 BC. Artaxerxes was the king of Persia at this time. “…wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions…” : This names a group of people who wrote the letter. They were essentially a team or council. “Bishlam,” “Mithredath,” “Tabeel,” and “the rest of them” are just names – it’s not saying who these people were, just that they were involved in writing the letter. “…unto Artaxerxes king of Persia…” : This tells us who the letter was for . It's addressed to King Artaxerxes. “And the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue…” : This is a key part. "The writing" refers to the actual letter itself. The fact that it was written in the “Syrian tongue” means it was written using a language common to the region around Syria – a place of ancient Jewish history and culture. “and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.” : This is where it gets interesting. The meaning of the letter wasn’t just about words; it was also understood and explained using the same language that the people who wrote it used. It's like a translation - the meaning was preserved, not just the words themselves. In simpler terms: This verse tells us that King Artaxerxes received a letter from a group of people who wrote about a difficult situation – likely involving a Jewish community in Persia. They wrote the letter in a language familiar to that region, and then someone read it and understood its message. Why is this important? This event is significant because it's part of a larger story in the Bible dealing with tensions between Jewish people and the Persian Empire. It shows that even when there are disagreements or challenges, understanding and communication can still be possible. --- Do you want me to: Explain any specific part in more detail? Connect this verse to other parts of the Bible? Talk about the historical context (like the time period)?