Bishlam
Exile
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H1312
Bishlam was a Samaritan official who, along with others, wrote to King Artaxerxes to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Bishlam was a Samaritan official during the early reign of King Artaxerxes I of Persia who, along with Mithredath and Tabeel, wrote a letter to the king opposing the reconstruction of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:7). This opposition letter succeeded in halting the rebuilding work for a time by portraying Jerusalem as a historically rebellious city. Bishlam represents the broader Samaritan political resistance to the restoration of Judah under Persian authorization.