Ezra 2:1

The Names of the Returning Exiles

2:1 ¹ These are the people ²  of the province who were going up, ³  from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem ⁴  and Judah, each to his own city.

Ezra 4:5

4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time ⁵  of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius ⁶  of Persia. ⁷ 

Ezra 6:10

6:10 so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family. ⁸ 

Ezra 6:21

6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them ⁹  in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel.

Ezra 7:25

7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, ¹⁰  appoint judges ¹¹  and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught.

Ezra 9:8-9

9:8 “But now briefly ¹²  we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position ¹³  in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes ¹⁴  and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us ¹⁵  to restore the temple of our God and to raise ¹⁶  up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem. ¹⁷ 

Ezra 9:14-15

9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt ¹⁸  no one can really stand before you.”

[2:1]  ¹ sn The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6-73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.

[2:1]  ² tn Heb “the sons of.”

[2:1]  ³ tn The Hebrew term הָעֹלִים (ha’olim, “those who were going up” [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: “went up” (KJV), “came up” (RSV, ASV, NASV, NIV), “came” (NRSV). CEV paraphrases: “were on their way back.”

[2:1]  ⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “all the days of.”

[4:5]  ⁶ sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 B.C.

[4:5]  ⁷ sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.

[6:10]  ⁸ tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”

[6:21]  ⁹ tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”

[7:25]  ¹⁰ tn Aram “in your hand.”

[7:25]  ¹¹ tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammatei", “scribes”).

[9:8]  ¹² tn Heb “according to a little moment.”

[9:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “a peg” or “tent peg.” The imagery behind this word is drawn from the experience of nomads who put down pegs as they pitched their tents and made camp after times of travel.

[9:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “to cause our eyes to shine.” The expression is a figure of speech for “to revive.” See DCH 1:160 s.v. אור Hi.7.

[9:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “has granted us reviving.”

[9:9]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “to cause to stand.”

[9:9]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:15]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “this”; the referent (the guilt mentioned previously) has been specified in the translation for clarity.