Ezra 5:4

5:4 They ¹  also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?”

Ezra 9:3

9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated.

Ezra 8:24

8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with ²  Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, ³ 

Ezra 5:2

5:2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began ⁴  to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Ezra 5:16

5:16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment ⁵  it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

Ezra 10:5

10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath to carry out this plan. ⁶  And they all took a solemn oath.

Ezra 3:2

3:2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak ⁷  and his priestly colleagues ⁸  and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues ⁹  started to build ¹⁰  the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by ¹¹  the law of Moses the man of God.

Ezra 10:6

10:6 Then Ezra got up from in front of the temple of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he stayed ¹²  there, he did not eat food or drink water, for he was in mourning over the infidelity of the exiles.

Ezra 3:7

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

3:7 So they provided money ¹³  for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon ¹⁴  and Tyre, ¹⁵  so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport ¹⁶  at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia.

Ezra 1:1

The Decree of Cyrus

1:1 ¹⁷ In the first ¹⁸  year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message ¹⁹  spoken through ²⁰  Jeremiah, ²¹  the Lord stirred the mind ²²  of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated ²³  a proclamation ²⁴  throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict ²⁵  the following: ²⁶ 

Ezra 4:2

4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders ²⁷  and said to them, “Let us help you build, ²⁸  for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him ²⁹  from the time ³⁰  of King Esarhaddon ³¹  of Assyria, who brought us here.” ³² 

Ezra 2:16

2:16 the descendants of Ater (through ³³  Hezekiah): 98;

Ezra 6:2

6:2 A scroll was found in the citadel ³⁴  of Ecbatana which is in the province of Media, and it was inscribed as follows:

“Memorandum:

Ezra 6:22

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 ³⁵  of the king of Assyria ³⁶  toward them, so that he assisted ³⁷  them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 4:19

4:19 So I gave orders, ³⁸  and it was determined ³⁹  that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in ⁴⁰  rebellion and revolt.

Ezra 8:32

8:32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days.

Ezra 9:5

9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, ⁴¹  with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God.

Ezra 4:15

4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records ⁴²  of his predecessors ⁴³  and discover in those records ⁴⁴  that this city is rebellious ⁴⁵  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ⁴⁶  from long ago. ⁴⁷  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

Ezra 3:3

3:3 They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples, ⁴⁸  and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings.

Ezra 10:10

10:10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have behaved in an unfaithful manner by taking foreign wives! This has contributed to the guilt of Israel.

Ezra 8:30

8:30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of ⁴⁹  the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.

Ezra 8:34

8:34 Everything was verified ⁵⁰  by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.

Ezra 1:5

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

1:5 Then the leaders ⁵¹  of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready ⁵²  to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁵³ 

Ezra 2:62

2:62 They ⁵⁴  searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. ⁵⁵  They were therefore excluded ⁵⁶  from the priesthood.

Ezra 6:11

6:11 “I hereby give orders that if anyone changes this directive a beam is to be pulled out from his house and he is to be raised up and impaled ⁵⁷  on it, and his house is to be reduced ⁵⁸  to a rubbish heap ⁵⁹  for this indiscretion. ⁶⁰ 

Ezra 8:16

8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, ⁶¹  Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers.

Ezra 8:36

8:36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.

Ezra 7:8

7:8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

Ezra 10:12

10:12 All the assembly replied in a loud voice: “We will do just as you have said! ⁶² 

Ezra 5:11

5:11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king ⁶³  of Israel built it and completed it.

Ezra 10:13

10:13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. ⁶⁴  We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.

Ezra 4:4

4:4 Then the local people ⁶⁵  began to discourage ⁶⁶  the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building.

Ezra 6:1

Darius Issues a Decree

6:1 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives ⁶⁷  of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon.

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. ⁶⁸ 

Ezra 7:27

7:27 ⁶⁹ Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem!

Ezra 10:19

10:19 (They gave their word ⁷⁰  to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)

Ezra 3:9-11

3:9 So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives, ⁷¹  Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah ⁷² ), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives ⁷³  the Levites. 3:10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, ⁷⁴  and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by ⁷⁵  King David of Israel. ⁷⁶  3:11 With antiphonal response they sang, ⁷⁷  praising and glorifying the Lord:

“For he is good;

his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

All the people gave a loud ⁷⁸  shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.

Ezra 8:15

The Exiles Travel to Jerusalem

8:15 I had them assemble ⁷⁹  at the canal ⁸⁰  that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I observed that the people and the priests were present, but I found no Levites there.

Ezra 4:13

4:13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury ⁸¹  will suffer loss.

Ezra 4:17

4:17 The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! ⁸² 

Ezra 4:23

4:23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem ⁸³  and stopped them with threat of armed force. ⁸⁴ 

Ezra 6:6

6:6 “Now Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar Bozenai, and their colleagues, the officials of Trans-Euphrates – all of you stay far away from there!

Ezra 7:7

7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought ⁸⁵  up to Jerusalem ⁸⁶  some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants.

Ezra 8:28

8:28 Then I said to them, “You are holy to the Lord, just as these vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a voluntary offering to the Lord, the God of your fathers.

Ezra 9:4

9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe ⁸⁷  gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. ⁸⁸  Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

Ezra 10:7

10:7 A proclamation ⁸⁹  was circulated ⁹⁰  throughout Judah and Jerusalem ⁹¹  that all the exiles were to be assembled in Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:3

1:3 Anyone from ⁹²  his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:1

The Names of the Returning Exiles

2:1 ⁹³ These are the people ⁹⁴  of the province who were going up, ⁹⁵  from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem ⁹⁶  and Judah, each to his own city.

Ezra 2:61

2:61 And from among ⁹⁷  the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that ⁹⁸  name).

Ezra 3:5

3:5 Afterward they offered the continual burnt offerings and those for the new moons and those for all the holy assemblies of the Lord and all those that were being voluntarily offered to the Lord.

Ezra 4:12

4:12 Now ⁹⁹  let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. ¹⁰⁰  They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 5:17

5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, ¹⁰¹  let a search be conducted in the royal archives ¹⁰²  there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”

Ezra 6:21

6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them ¹⁰³  in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel.

Ezra 8:17

8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them ¹⁰⁴  what to say to Iddo and his relatives, ¹⁰⁵  who were the temple servants in ¹⁰⁶  Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

Ezra 8:21

8:21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey ¹⁰⁷  for us, our children, and all our property.

Ezra 8:31

8:31 On the twelfth day of the first month we began traveling from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from our enemy and from bandits ¹⁰⁸  along the way.

Ezra 8:33

8:33 On the fourth day we weighed out the silver, the gold, and the vessels in the house of our God into the care ¹⁰⁹  of Meremoth son of Uriah, the priest, and Eleazar son of Phinehas, who were accompanied by Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui, who were Levites.

Ezra 9:7

9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and ¹¹⁰  priests, have been delivered over by the local kings ¹¹¹  to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.

Ezra 9:11

9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ¹¹²  ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! ¹¹³  With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness.

Ezra 10:2

10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, ¹¹⁴  addressed Ezra:

“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying ¹¹⁵  foreign women from the local peoples. ¹¹⁶  Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. ¹¹⁷ 

Ezra 10:9

10:9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.

Ezra 10:14

10:14 Let our leaders take steps ¹¹⁸  on behalf of all the assembly. Let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at an appointed time, and with them the elders of each town and its judges, until the hot anger of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”

Ezra 10:16

10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out ¹¹⁹  by name men who were leaders in their family groups. ¹²⁰  They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,

Ezra 5:14

5:14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace ¹²¹  of Babylon – even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented ¹²²  to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor.

[5:4]  ¹ tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew MS, the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta אֲמַרוּ (’amaru, “they said”) rather than the reading אֲמַרְנָא (’amarna’, “we said”) of the MT.

[8:24]  ² tc The translation reads וַחֲשַׁבְיָה וְשֵׁרֵבְיָה (vÿsherevÿyah vakhashavyah, “and Sherebiah and Hashabiah”) rather than the reading חֲשַׁבְיָה לְשֵׁרֵבְיָה (lÿsherevyah khashavyah, “to Sherebiah Hashabiah”) of the MT.

[8:24]  ³ tn Or “relatives”; or “colleagues” (cf. NLT “ten other priests”).

[5:2]  ⁴ tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

[5:16]  ⁵ tn Aram “from then and until now.”

[10:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “to do according to this plan.”

[3:2]  ⁷ sn Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.

[3:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”

[3:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “his brothers.”

[3:2]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “arose and built.”

[3:2]  ¹¹ tn Heb “written in.” Cf. v. 4.

[10:6]  ¹² tc The translation reads וַיָּלֶן (vayyalen, “and he stayed”) rather than the reading וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh, “and he went”) of the MT. Cf. the LXX.

[3:7]  ¹³ tn Heb “silver.”

[3:7]  ¹⁴ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ¹⁵ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “to the sea”

[1:1]  ¹⁷ sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 B.C.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ²⁰ tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.

[1:1]  tn Heb “from the mouth of.”

[1:1]  ²¹ sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.

[1:1]  ²² tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.

[1:1]  ²³ tn Heb “caused to pass.”

[1:1]  ²⁴ tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.

[1:1]  ²⁵ sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).

[1:1]  ²⁶ tn Heb “in writing, saying.”

[4:2]  ²⁷ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.

[4:2]  ²⁸ tn Heb “Let us build with you.”

[4:2]  ²⁹ tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran MS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (vÿlo’, “and not”).

[4:2]  ³⁰ tn Heb “days.”

[4:2]  ³¹ sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.

[4:2]  ³² sn The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24-34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.

[2:16]  ³³ tn Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.

[6:2]  ³⁴ tc The translation reads בִירְתָא (birta’, citadel”) rather than the reading בְּבִירְתָא (bÿvireta’, “in the citadel”) found in the MT. The MT probably experienced dittography here.

[6:22]  ³⁵ tn Heb “heart.”

[6:22]  ³⁶ 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]  ³⁷ tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”

[4:19]  ³⁸ tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”

[4:19]  ³⁹ tn Aram “and they searched and found.”

[4:19]  ⁴⁰ tn Aram “are being done.”

[9:5]  ⁴¹ tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.

[4:15]  ⁴² tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

[4:15]  ⁴³ tn Aram “of your fathers.”

[4:15]  ⁴⁴ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

[4:15]  ⁴⁵ tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

[4:15]  ⁴⁶ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

[4:15]  ⁴⁷ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

[3:3]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[8:30]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “received.”

[8:34]  ⁵⁰ tn The words “everything was verified” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:5]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

[1:5]  ⁵² tn Heb “arose.”

[1:5]  ⁵³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:62]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “these.”

[2:62]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.

[2:62]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “they were desecrated.”

[6:11]  ⁵⁷ sn The practice referred to in v. 11 has been understood in various ways: hanging (cf. 1 Esd 6:32 and KJV); flogging (cf. NEB, NLT); impalement (BDB 1091 s.v. זְקַף; HALOT 1914 s.v. מחא hitpe; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). The latter seems the most likely.

[6:11]  ⁵⁸ tn Aram “made.”

[6:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Aram “a dunghill.”

[6:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Aram “for this.”

[8:16]  ⁶¹ tc The name “Elnathan” occurs twice in this list. Some, assuming an accidental repetition, would include it only once (cf. NAB).

[10:12]  ⁶² tn Heb “thus according to your word [singular = Qere] concerning us, to do.”

[5:11]  ⁶³ sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.

[10:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “the time [is] rain showers.”

[4:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “the people of the land.” Elsewhere this expression sometimes has a negative connotation, referring to a lay population that was less zealous for Judaism than it should have been. Here, however, it seems to refer to the resident population of the area without any negative connotation.

[4:4]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”

[6:1]  ⁶⁷ tn Aram “the house of the archives.”

[6:10]  ⁶⁸ tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”

[7:27]  ⁶⁹ sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (7:12-26) back to Hebrew.

[10:19]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “hand.”

[3:9]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “brothers.”

[3:9]  ⁷² sn The name יְהוּדָה (Yehudah; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB “Judah”) is probably a variant of Hodaviah (see Ezra 2:40; cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).

[3:9]  ⁷³ tn Heb “brothers.”

[3:10]  ⁷⁴ sn This was a long, straight, metallic instrument used for signal calls, rather than the traditional ram’s horn (both instruments are typically translated “trumpet” by English versions).

[3:10]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “according to the hands of.”

[3:10]  ⁷⁶ sn See Ps 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.

[3:11]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “they answered.”

[3:11]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “great.”

[8:15]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “I gathered them.”

[8:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “river.” So also in vv. 21, 31.

[4:13]  ⁸¹ tn Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT), 74.

[4:17]  ⁸² tn Aram “peace.”

[4:23]  ⁸³ tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

[4:23]  ⁸⁴ tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

[7:7]  ⁸⁵ tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayya’al, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayya’alu, “they came up”) of the MT.

[7:7]  tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:7]  ⁸⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[9:4]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”

[9:4]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:7]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “voice.”

[10:7]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “they sent.”

[10:7]  ⁹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:3]  ⁹² tn Heb “from all.”

[2:1]  ⁹³ 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]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “the sons of.”

[2:1]  ⁹⁵ 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]  ⁹⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:61]  ⁹⁷ tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.

[2:61]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “their.”

[4:12]  ⁹⁹ tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.

[4:12]  ¹⁰⁰ sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.

[5:17]  ¹⁰¹ tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”

[5:17]  ¹⁰² tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”

[6:21]  ¹⁰³ tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”

[8:17]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “I placed in their mouth words.”

[8:17]  ¹⁰⁵ tc The translation reads with the LXX and Vulgate וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brethren” = “relatives”; so NCV, NLT) rather than the reading אָחִיו (’akhiyv, “his brother”) of the MT.

[8:17]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “in the place called.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[8:21]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “a straight way.”

[8:31]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “from the hand of the enemy and the one who lies in wait.” Some modern English versions render the latter phrase as “ambushes” (cf. NASB, NRSV).

[8:33]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “upon the hand of.”

[9:7]  ¹¹⁰ tc The MT lacks “and” here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.

[9:7]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “the kings of the lands.”

[9:11]  ¹¹² tn Heb “through your servants the prophets, saying.”

[9:11]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[10:2]  ¹¹⁴ tc The translation reads with the Qere, many medieval Hebrew MSS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate עֵילָם (’elam, “Elam”) rather than the reading עוֹלָם (’olam, “eternity”) found in the MT.

[10:2]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.

[10:2]  ¹¹⁶ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[10:2]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “upon this.”

[10:14]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “stand.”

[10:16]  ¹¹⁹ 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]  ¹²⁰ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”

[5:14]  ¹²¹ tn Or “temple.”

[5:14]  ¹²² tn Aram “they were given.”