“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.”
The continuation: "Furthermore, the king should be informed that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer." This portion of the accusation escalates beyond security concerns to financial arguments, claiming that a reconstituted Jewish city would default on imperial tax obligations and reduce Persian revenue. The accusation employs economic self-interest as the appeal to Persian authority, suggesting that opposition to restoration serves the king's material interests by protecting imperial revenue. The prediction that Jewish restoration would lead to tax default represents calculated scaremongering, suggesting outcomes designed to alarm Persian administrators concerned with imperial fiscal health. The economic argument strategy demonstrates sophisticated understanding of Persian administrative priorities, appealing to the king's interest in maintaining revenue streams from his domains.
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