21 I want you to command the people to stop rebuilding the city until I give further notice.
22 Do this at once, so that no harm will come to the kingdom.
23 As soon as this letter was read, Governor Rehum, Secretary Shimshai, and their advisors went to Jerusalem and forced everyone to stop rebuilding the city.
24 The Jews were forced to stop work on the temple and were not able to do any more building until the year after Darius became king of Persia.