Ezra 4:8 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments

The chancellor - literally, “Lord of judgment;” the title, apparently, of the Persian governor of the Samaritan province. Every Persian governor was accompanied to his province by a “royal scribe” or “secretary,” who had a separate and independent authority.

Ezra 4:8

8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribed wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: