Shimshai
שִׁמְשַׁי/SHIM-shy/
“My suns; sunny”
Summary
A scribe or secretary who served under Rehum and helped write a letter to King Artaxerxes opposing the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
☩Opposition to Jerusalem's Rebuilding
Shimshai served as scribe or secretary to Rehum, who functioned as a kind of satrap over the conquered province of Judaea and the Samaritan colony supported by the Persian court. Together with Rehum, Shimshai composed a letter in Aramaic to King Artaxerxes, portraying the Jews as rebellious and dangerous, and warning that the rebuilding of Jerusalem would threaten Persian interests. Their letter successfully halted the Temple reconstruction for a time. Shimshai was apparently an Aramaean, as evidenced by the Aramaic language of his correspondence and the Aramaean form of his name.
Key verses:Ezra 4:8-9Ezra 4:17Ezra 4:23
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Shimshai," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Shimshai," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).