Endamage
## What Does Endamage Mean? The term 'endamage' is an early modern English verb meaning to inflict damage, loss, or injury. It is synonymous with 'damage' or 'harm.' In biblical translation, it is a linguistic artifact of the 17th-century King James Version, reflecting the vocabulary of its time.
## The Biblical Occurrence in Ezra Endamage appears in Ezra 4:13 (KJV): 'Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.' This verse is part of a letter sent by local adversaries—Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe—to King Artaxerxes of Persia. Their goal was to halt the Jewish efforts to rebuild Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile. The argument was economic: a restored, fortified Jerusalem would lead to rebellion and a consequent loss of tax revenue for the Persian empire.
## Translation and Modern Renderings Later translations, seeking clarity for modern readers, replaced the archaic 'endamage.' The New King James Version uses 'damage,' while the English Standard Version and New International Version use phrases like 'harm' or 'hurt.' The underlying Aramaic word is nezaq, which carries the sense of inflicting injury or causing financial loss. This shift in translation highlights the evolution of biblical English and the ongoing effort to make the text's meaning accessible.
## Historical and Political Context The accusation in Ezra 4 was a strategic political move. The Persian Empire administered its provinces through a system that demanded loyalty and regular tribute. The adversaries' claim that rebuilding Jerusalem would 'endamage the revenue' tapped directly into the king's primary administrative concerns: stability and income. This historical context reveals the very real economic and political pressures that accompanied the theological and spiritual project of restoration for the returning Jewish exiles. The success of this accusation led to a work stoppage until the reign of Darius (Ezra 4:24).
## Significance for Readers Today While the word 'endamage' itself is obsolete, the concept it conveys remains powerfully relevant. The narrative illustrates how opposition to God's work often employs practical, worldly arguments—like financial loss or political instability—to create fear and obstruction. The story ultimately testifies to God's sovereignty, as the rebuilding project later resumed and was completed under divine providence and renewed royal decree (Ezra 6:1-15). It reminds believers that earthly powers and economic calculations do not have the final say over God's redemptive plans.
Biblical Context
The term appears only in Ezra 4:13 in the King James Version. It is part of the Aramaic correspondence recorded in Ezra 4:8-23, where local officials in the Persian province of Trans-Euphrates write to King Artaxerxes to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. The term plays a direct role in their argument, claiming the project will cause financial damage to the royal treasury.
Theological Significance
The episode highlights the tension between God's covenantal promises to restore His people and the opposition of worldly kingdoms. The adversaries' use of 'endamage' frames their opposition in economic terms, but the underlying conflict is spiritual. Theologically, it demonstrates that human efforts to obstruct God's plans based on temporal concerns are ultimately futile, as God's providence oversees the course of history for the fulfillment of His redemptive purposes.
Historical Background
The events occur in the mid-5th century BCE within the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Archaeological evidence confirms the efficiency of Persian administration and its reliance on tribute. Extra-biblical sources, like the Elephantine Papyri, show similar patterns of local petition to Persian authorities. The historical setting is the Second Temple period, where returned Jewish exiles were a small, vulnerable community in a strategically sensitive province.