Ezra 6:21-22

6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them ¹  in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel. 6:22 They observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the Lord had given them joy and had changed the opinion ²  of the king of Assyria ³  toward them, so that he assisted ⁴  them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 10:3-4

10:3 Therefore let us enact ⁵  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ⁶  and that of those who respect ⁷  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law. 10:4 Get up, for this matter concerns you. We are with you, so be strong and act decisively!”

Ezra 10:16-17

10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out ⁸  by name men who were leaders in their family groups. ⁹  They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month, 10:17 and on the first day of the first month they finished considering all the men who had married foreign wives.

[6:21]  ¹ tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”

[6:22]  ² tn Heb “heart.”

[6:22]  ³ sn The expression “king of Assyria” is anachronistic, since Assyria fell in 612 b.c., long before the events of this chapter. Perhaps the expression is intended subtly to contrast earlier kings of Assyria who were hostile toward Israel with this Persian king who showed them favor.

[6:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”

[10:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “cut.”

[10:3]  ⁶ tn The MT vocalizes this word as a plural, which could be understood as a reference to God. But the context seems to suggest that a human lord is intended. The apparatus of BHS suggests repointing the word as a singular (“my lord”), but this is unnecessary. The plural (“my lords”) can be understood in an honorific sense even when a human being is in view. Most English versions regard this as a reference to Ezra, so the present translation supplies “your” before “counsel” to make this clear.

[10:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”

[10:16]  ⁸ tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּבְדֵּל לוֹ (vayyavdel lo, “separated for himself”) rather than the Niphal plural וַיִּבָּדְלוּ (vayyibbadÿlu, “were separated”) of the MT.

[10:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”