The satrapy of the province Beyond the River (the Trans-Euphrates) contained provinces that were across the Euphrates river from Babylon. It included the province of Yehud (where Jerusalem was), Samaria (north of Jerusalem), Ammon-Gilead (east of Jerusalem), Arabia-Idumea (south of Jerusalem) and Ashdod (west of Jerusalem).1
3 At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus: “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?”