A gentilicial or administrative term appearing only in Ezra 4:9, in a list of groups opposing the rebuilding of Jerusalem's temple. The identification is uncertain—some see this as an ethnic designation, others as an official title meaning something like 'beyond the river' in Persian administrative language. The Greek translations vary, suggesting ancient uncertainty about this group's identity. They were among the coalition of opponents writing to King Artaxerxes to stop the temple construction.