Chancellor
The Title in Context
The word "chancellor" appears in the King James Version of Ezra 4:8-9, 17, referring to Rehum, a Persian official stationed in the province beyond the Euphrates River. Together with Shimshai the scribe, Rehum wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes opposing the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Modern translations render his title variously as "commanding officer," "royal deputy," or "commissioner," reflecting the difficulty of precisely translating the ancient Aramaic term.
The Aramaic Title
The underlying Aramaic phrase is "beel teem," which literally means "lord of judgment" or "master of official intelligence." This title designated an Assyrian and later Persian administrative position responsible for gathering, managing, and communicating official reports and intelligence within the imperial bureaucracy. Some scholars have compared the role to that of a postmaster or communications officer, someone who controlled the flow of official correspondence between provincial administrators and the royal court.
The Opposition to Rebuilding
Rehum the chancellor and his associates wrote to King Artaxerxes to warn him that the Jews returning from Babylonian exile were rebuilding Jerusalem, which they characterized as a rebellious and wicked city (Ezra 4:8-16). Their letter claimed that if the city's walls were completed, the Jews would stop paying taxes and the king would lose control of the region. This appeal to royal self-interest was effective: Artaxerxes ordered the construction to stop, and Rehum and his companions enforced the decree by force (Ezra 4:23).
The Mixed Population of Samaria
Rehum's letter also reveals the complex ethnic makeup of the region. He wrote on behalf of multiple peoples who had been resettled in Samaria and the surrounding territory by Assyrian kings, including groups from various parts of the empire (Ezra 4:9-10). These transplanted populations had their own reasons for opposing the restoration of Jewish power in Jerusalem, as it threatened their own political and territorial interests in the region.
The Resolution
The opposition led by Rehum and others succeeded temporarily in halting construction, but it could not ultimately prevent God's purposes. When Darius later became king, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah stirred the people to resume building (Ezra 5:1-2). A search of the royal archives confirmed Cyrus's original decree authorizing the temple's reconstruction, and Darius issued a new order protecting the project (Ezra 6:1-12). The temple was completed in 516 BC, demonstrating that political opposition could delay but not defeat God's plan for His people.
Biblical Context
The chancellor appears in Ezra 4:8-9, 17 as Rehum, a Persian official who organized opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Jewish return from exile. His letter to King Artaxerxes temporarily halted construction. The broader context of Ezra 4-6 traces the cycle of opposition, royal intervention, and eventual completion of the second temple under divine providence.
Theological Significance
The story of the chancellor's opposition demonstrates a recurring biblical theme: earthly authorities may resist God's purposes, but they cannot ultimately prevail. The temporary success of Rehum's political maneuvering gave way to the fulfillment of prophetic promises about the temple's restoration. This pattern encourages believers that political and institutional opposition to God's work, while real and sometimes painful, is always temporary.
Historical Background
The Aramaic title 'beel teem' reflects the sophisticated administrative structure of the Persian Empire, which inherited many bureaucratic practices from the Assyrians and Babylonians. Persian provincial administration relied on a network of officials who reported to the satrap (provincial governor) and ultimately to the king. Archaeological discoveries of Persian-period administrative texts confirm the existence of communication officers responsible for official correspondence. The events described in Ezra 4 are typically dated to the reign of Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC), though some scholars associate parts of the chapter with earlier periods.