Ezr 4:2 | NETfull | STEP | they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them, “Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

Ezra 4:2

2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders ^{▼▼ Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.} and said to them, “Let us help you build, ^{▼▼ Heb “Let us build with you.”} for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him ^{▼▼ The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran MS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (v^elo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (v^elo’, “and not”).} from the time ^{▼▼ Heb “days.”} of King Esarhaddon ^{▼▼ Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681–669 b.c.} of Assyria, who brought us here.” ^{▼▼ The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24–34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.}