Ezra 4

The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, local peoples who had settled in the region, hear that the exiles are rebuilding the Temple. They offer to help, but Zerubbabel firmly refuses, declaring they have no right to participate. These adversaries then try to discourage the Jewish workers, hiring counselors to frustrate their plans throughout the reign of King Cyrus. They later write an accusatory letter to King Artaxerxes, falsely claiming the Jews are rebuilding a rebellious city that will refuse to pay tax. Artaxerxes orders the work to be stopped by force, halting the construction of the Temple until the reign of Darius.