Ezra 4:11-16 King James Version (KJV)
11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
13 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.
14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.

Ezra 4:11-16 International Standard Version (ISV)

11 This is the text of the letter they sent.
To: King Artaxerxes
From: Your servants, the men of the province beyond the Euphrates River.
12 May the king be advised that the Jews who came from you to us have reached Jerusalem and are rebuilding a rebellious and wicked city, having completed its walls and repaired its foundations.
13 May the king be further advised that if this city is rebuilt and its walls erected, its citizens will refuse to pay tributes, taxes, and tariffs, thereby restricting royal revenues.
14 Now, because we are royal employees and are committed to preserving the reputation of the king, we have written to the king and have declared its contents to be true, 15 urging that a search may be made in the official registers of your predecessors. You will discover in the registers that this city is a rebellious city, that it is damaging to both kings and provinces, that it has been moved to sedition from time immemorial, and that because of this it was destroyed.
16 We certify to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls completed, you will lose your land holdings in the province beyond the Euphrates River.

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These are my thoughts, please share yours.

11 These men who wrote this letter to the king were people trying to stop God’s people from doing what the Lord wanted them to do, they were trouble makers looking to there highest authority when the Israelites highest authority was God.

12 This city was being rebuilt to bring glory back to the Lord, this was not evil but the people change their words to get aid from the king, people may lie about us to prevent us from doing the Lord’s will.

13 Taxes were important, this could have been a possibility but it would have broken the peace with that kingdom and cause more trouble.

14 An oath to the king while as Christians we are to follow the law of the land and the rulers of it, we are not to do this when it goes against the Lord, Israel had a respect for the king but God was first in their eyes as He should be with us as well.

15 The true reason why the city was destroyed was because of them no longer following after God and Him allowing judgment to come their way. People of the world are going to have their own view on things that takes the power and influence of the Lord out of it, we as Christians are to stay on the truth regardless of how the world sees things.

16 The only area that might be taken would be Israel and not the entire west of the Euphrates.