עזרא, פרק ד׳, פסוק ט׳

A massive coalition of government officials and diverse ethnic groups formed a united front to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem. By joining forces and drafting a formal letter of accusation, they aimed to project overwhelming strength. The detailed record of every participating group was meant to show that a vast array of peoples supported the effort to halt the construction, even as each faction proudly maintained its distinct original identity [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

At the moment of their joint consultation [רש״י, מצודת דוד], the effort was led by a man named Rehum, who acted as a commander or government secretary, alongside Shimshai the scribe. They were backed by a large network of associates and allied factions [רש״י, רס״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The primary approach among commentators is that this vast network of participants consisted of foreign, idol-worshipping nations. These were peoples who had been exiled from their homelands by Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and resettled in the cities of Samaria. However, another perspective suggests that at least some of the participants were not distinct nations, but rather individuals holding various official roles within the Persian bureaucracy [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The alliance was made up of several specific groups. It included people from a place called Dina, though some identify them instead as royal judges [רס״ג]. They were joined by factions of Persian descent [רש״י, רס״ג], as well as another known foreign nation of that era [אבן עזרא]. The coalition also drew citizens from prominent ancient cities and regions, including people from Erech [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מנחת שי], Babylon, and the capital city of Shushan. Finally, the effort was supported by people from a place called Dehi [רס״ג, מנחת שי] and inhabitants of the land of Elam.