4:2a they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying,
They approached Zerubbabel and the heads/chiefs of extended families. They said,
-or-
Those who did not like them went to speak to Zerubbabel ⌊the governor⌋ and to the leaders of families groups. They told them,
-or-
They came to see/meet Zerubbabel and the other leaders of the families/clans ⌊of Judah and Benjamin⌋. They ⌊tried to deceive them⌋ by saying that
4:2b “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God
“We (excl.) want to help you (plur.) build because we worship the same God as you.
-or-
“Allow us to build ⌊the house of God⌋ with you, because we pray to the same God ⌊as you pray to⌋.
-or-
because they also served the same God, they wanted to help them build ⌊the temple⌋.
4:2c and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria,
We (excl.) have been giving sacrifices to him ⌊for generations⌋, since the king/chief of Assyria, Esar-haddon, ⌊ ⌋
-or-
We also burn animals/sacrifices to your (plur.) God. Our ancestors started doing this long ago when King Esar-haddon ruled Assyria
-or-
⌊They also told them that⌋ they had been offering sacrifices to the God of Israel since the time that Esar-haddon was king of Assyria.
4:2d who brought us here.”
caused/compelled us (excl.) to settle/live here.”
-or-
and made them ⌊leave their/our homelands and⌋ move/come to this province/land.”
-or-
This king had brought ⌊their ancestors⌋ there ⌊long ago⌋.
4:2b-d (reordered)
“We (excl.) worship your (plur.) God like you do. We have been giving sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon, the King of Assyria, brought us here. So let us build ⌊this house of God⌋ with you.”
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