Ezra 2:1-3
Konteks2:1 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. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelites 5 was as follows: 6
2:3 the descendants 7 of Parosh: 2,172;
Ezra 1:1--9:15
Konteks1:1 8 In the first 9 year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message 10 spoken through 11 Jeremiah, 12 the Lord stirred the mind 13 of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated 14 a proclamation 15 throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict 16 the following: 17
1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple 18 for him in Jerusalem, 19 which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from 20 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. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors 21 with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
1:5 Then the leaders 22 of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready 23 to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 24 1:6 All their neighbors assisted 25 them with silver utensils, 26 gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention 27 all the voluntary offerings.
1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed 28 in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted 29 them to 30 Mithredath 31 the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar 32 the leader of the Judahite exiles. 33
1:9 The inventory 34 of these items was as follows:
30 gold basins, 35
1,000 silver basins,
29 silver utensils, 36
1:10 30 gold bowls,
410 other 37 silver bowls,
and 1,000 other vessels.
1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. 38 Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
2:1 39 These are the people 40 of the province who were going up, 41 from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem 42 and Judah, each to his own city. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelites 43 was as follows: 44
2:3 the descendants 45 of Parosh: 2,172;
2:4 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
2:5 the descendants of Arah: 775;
2:6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line 46 of Jeshua and 47 Joab): 2,812;
2:7 the descendants of Elam: 1,254;
2:8 the descendants of Zattu: 945;
2:9 the descendants of Zaccai: 760;
2:10 the descendants of Bani: 642;
2:11 the descendants of Bebai: 623;
2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;
2:13 the descendants of Adonikam: 666;
2:14 the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056;
2:15 the descendants of Adin: 454;
2:16 the descendants of Ater (through 48 Hezekiah): 98;
2:17 the descendants of Bezai: 323;
2:18 the descendants of Jorah: 112;
2:19 the descendants of Hashum: 223;
2:20 the descendants of Gibbar: 95.
2:21 The men 49 of Bethlehem: 50 123;
2:22 the men of Netophah: 56;
2:23 the men of Anathoth: 128;
2:24 the men of the family 51 of Azmaveth: 42;
2:25 the men of Kiriath Jearim, 52 Kephirah and Beeroth: 743;
2:26 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;
2:27 the men of Micmash: 122;
2:28 the men of Bethel 53 and Ai: 223;
2:29 the descendants of Nebo: 52;
2:30 the descendants of Magbish: 156;
2:31 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;
2:32 the descendants of Harim: 320;
2:33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725;
2:34 the men of Jericho: 54 345;
2:35 the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.
2:36 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family 55 of Jeshua): 973;
2:37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052;
2:38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247;
2:39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017.
2:40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74.
2:41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128.
2:42 The gatekeepers: 56 the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139.
2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 2:44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 2:45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 2:46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, 57 the descendants of Hanan, 2:47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 2:48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 2:49 the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 2:50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 2:51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 2:52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 2:53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 2:54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 2:56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 2:57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami.
2:58 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392.
2:59 These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify 58 their family connection 59 or their ancestry, 60 as to whether they really were from Israel):
2:60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652.
2:61 And from among 61 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 62 name). 2:62 They 63 searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. 64 They were therefore excluded 65 from the priesthood. 2:63 The governor 66 instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult 67 the Urim and Thummim.
2:64 The entire group numbered 42,360, 68 2:65 not counting 69 their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 2:66 and 736 horses, 245 mules, 2:67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 2:68 When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders 70 offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild 71 it on its site. 2:69 As they were able, 72 they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas 73 of gold, 5,000 minas 74 of silver, and 100 priestly robes. 75
2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.
3:1 When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites 76 were living 77 in their 78 towns, the people assembled 79 in 80 Jerusalem. 81 3:2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak 82 and his priestly colleagues 83 and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues 84 started to build 85 the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by 86 the law of Moses the man of God. 3:3 They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples, 87 and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings. 3:4 They observed the Festival of Temporary Shelters 88 as required 89 and offered the proper number of 90 daily burnt offerings according to the requirement for each day. 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. 3:6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. However, the Lord’s temple was not at that time established. 91
3:7 So they provided money 92 for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon 93 and Tyre, 94 so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport 95 at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia. 3:8 In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, 96 in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work, 97 along with the rest of their associates, 98 the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed 99 the Levites who were at least twenty years old 100 to take charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. 3:9 So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives, 101 Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah 102 ), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives 103 the Levites. 3:10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, 104 and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by 105 King David of Israel. 106 3:11 With antiphonal response they sang, 107 praising and glorifying the Lord:
“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”
All the people gave a loud 108 shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 3:12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders 109 – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established 110 – were weeping loudly, 111 and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. 3:13 People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly 112 that the sound was heard a long way off.
4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles 113 were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders 114 and said to them, “Let us help you build, 115 for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him 116 from the time 117 of King Esarhaddon 118 of Assyria, who brought us here.” 119 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right 120 to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” 4:4 Then the local people 121 began to discourage 122 the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. 4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time 123 of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius 124 of Persia. 125
4:6 126 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus 127 they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 128 4:7 And during the reign 129 of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, 130 Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues 131 wrote to King Artaxerxes 132 of Persia. This letter 133 was first written in Aramaic but then translated.
[Aramaic:] 134
4:8 Rehum the commander 135 and Shimshai the scribe 136 wrote a letter concerning 137 Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: 4:9 From 138 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues – the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, 139 the Elamites), 4:10 and the rest of nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal 140 deported and settled in the cities 141 of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates. 142 4:11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:)
“To King Artaxerxes, 143 from your servants in 144 Trans-Euphrates: 4:12 Now 145 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. 146 They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. 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 147 will suffer loss. 4:14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, 148 and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, 149 we are sending the king this information 150 4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records 151 of his predecessors 152 and discover in those records 153 that this city is rebellious 154 and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts 155 from long ago. 156 It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. 4:16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control 157 of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”
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! 158 4:18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 4:19 So I gave orders, 159 and it was determined 160 that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in 161 rebellion and revolt. 4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates 162 and who were the beneficiaries of 163 tribute, custom, and toll. 4:21 Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct. 164 4:22 Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that kings sustain damage?”
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 165 and stopped them with threat of armed force. 166
4:24 So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia. 167
5:1 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son 168 of Iddo 169 prophesied concerning the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem 170 in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 5:2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began 171 to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.
5:3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority 172 to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?” 173 5:4 They 174 also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?” 5:5 But God was watching over 175 the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped 176 until a report could be dispatched 177 to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.
5:6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and his colleagues who were the officials of Trans-Euphrates sent to King Darius. 5:7 The report they sent to him was written as follows: 178
“To King Darius: All greetings! 179 5:8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, 180 and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands. 5:9 We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’ 5:10 We also inquired of their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were their leaders. 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 181 of Israel built it and completed it. 5:12 But after our ancestors 182 angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands 183 of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon. 184 5:13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, 185 King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 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 186 of Babylon – even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented 187 to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor. 5:15 He said to him, “Take these vessels and go deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its proper location.” 188 5:16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment 189 it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’
5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, 190 let a search be conducted in the royal archives 191 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.”
6:1 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives 192 of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon. 6:2 A scroll was found in the citadel 193 of Ecbatana which is in the province of Media, and it was inscribed as follows:
“Memorandum: 6:3 In the first year of his reign, 194 King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: 195 ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. 196 Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety 197 feet, 198 6:4 with three layers of large stones 199 and one 200 layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized 201 by the royal treasury. 202 6:5 Furthermore let the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God, which Nebuchadnezzar brought from the temple in Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, be returned and brought to their proper place in the temple in Jerusalem. Let them be deposited in the temple of God.’
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! 6:7 Leave the work on this temple of God alone. 203 Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this temple of God in its proper place.
6:8 “I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates the complete costs are to be given to these men, so that there may be no interruption of the work. 204 6:9 Whatever is needed – whether oxen or rams or lambs or burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by 205 the priests who are in Jerusalem – must be given to them daily without any neglect, 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. 206
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 207 on it, and his house is to be reduced 208 to a rubbish heap 209 for this indiscretion. 210 6:12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation 211 who reaches out 212 to cause such change so as to destroy this temple of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given orders. Let them be carried out with precision!”
6:13 Then Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues acted accordingly – with precision, just as Darius the king had given instructions. 213 6:14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time 214 Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 6:15 They finished this temple on the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth 215 year of the reign of King Darius.
6:16 The people 216 of Israel – the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles 217 – observed the dedication of this temple of God with joy. 6:17 For the dedication of this temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 6:18 They appointed the priests by their divisions and the Levites by their divisions over the worship of God at Jerusalem, 218 in accord with 219 the book of Moses. 6:19 220 The exiles 221 observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6:20 The priests and the Levites had purified themselves, every last one, 222 and they all were ceremonially pure. They sacrificed the Passover lamb for all the exiles, for their colleagues 223 the priests, and for themselves. 6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them 224 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 225 of the king of Assyria 226 toward them, so that he assisted 227 them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.
7:1 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes 228 of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. 229 Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah, 7:2 who was the son of Shallum, who was the son of Zadok, who was the son of Ahitub, 7:3 who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth, 7:4 who was the son of Zerahiah, who was the son of Uzzi, who was the son of Bukki, 7:5 who was the son of Abishua, who was the son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eleazar, who was the son of Aaron the chief priest. 7:6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him. 7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought 230 up to Jerusalem 231 some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 7:8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 7:9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make 232 the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, 233 for the good hand of his God was on him. 7:10 Now Ezra had dedicated himself 234 to the study of the law of the Lord, to its observance, and to teaching 235 its statutes and judgments in Israel.
7:11 What follows 236 is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. 237 Ezra was 238 a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:
7:12 239 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven: 7:13 I have now issued a decree 240 that anyone in my kingdom from the people of Israel – even the priests and Levites – who wishes to do so may go up with you to Jerusalem. 241 7:14 You are authorized 242 by the king and his seven advisers to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your possession, 243 7:15 and to bring silver and gold which the king and his advisers have freely contributed to the God of Israel, who resides in Jerusalem, 7:16 along with all the silver and gold that you may collect 244 throughout all the province of Babylon and the contributions of the people and the priests for the temple of their God which is in Jerusalem. 7:17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate 245 meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem. 7:18 You may do whatever seems appropriate to you and your colleagues 246 with the rest of the silver and the gold, in keeping with the will of your God. 7:19 Deliver to 247 the God of Jerusalem the vessels that are given to you for the service of the temple of your God. 7:20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, 248 you may do so from the royal treasury.
7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of 249 Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you – 7:22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, 250 and unlimited 251 salt. 7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath 252 against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact 253 that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.
7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, 254 appoint judges 255 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. 7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely 256 liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”
7:27 257 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! 7:28 He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.
8:1 These are the leaders 258 and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
8:2 from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom;
from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
from the descendants of David, Hattush 8:3 the son of Shecaniah; 259
from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were enrolled by genealogy 150 men;
8:4 from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
8:5 from the descendants of Zattu, 260 Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
8:6 from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
8:7 from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
8:8 from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
8:9 from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
8:10 from the descendants of Bani, 261 Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
8:11 from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
8:12 from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
8:13 from the descendants of Adonikam there were the latter ones. 262 Their names were Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
8:14 from the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai, and Zaccur, 263 and with them 264 70 men.
8:15 I had them assemble 265 at the canal 266 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. 8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, 267 Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers. 8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them 268 what to say to Iddo and his relatives, 269 who were the temple servants in 270 Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.
8:18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, 271 who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 272 18 men, 8:19 and Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, with his brothers and their sons, 20 men, 8:20 and some of the temple servants that David and his officials had established for the work of the Levites – 220 of them. They were all designated by name.
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 273 for us, our children, and all our property. 8:22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy 274 along the way, because we had said to the king, “The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger 275 is against everyone who forsakes him.” 8:23 So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.
8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with 276 Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, 277 8:25 and I weighed out to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels intended for the temple of our God – items that the king, his advisers, his officials, and all Israel who were present had contributed. 8:26 I weighed out to them 278 650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, 279 100 talents of gold, 8:27 20 gold bowls worth 1,000 darics, and two exquisite vessels of gleaming bronze, as valuable as gold. 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. 8:29 Be careful with them and protect them, until you weigh them out before the leading priests and the Levites and the family leaders of Israel in Jerusalem, 280 in the storerooms of the temple of the Lord.”
8:30 Then the priests and the Levites took charge of 281 the silver, the gold, and the vessels that had been weighed out, to transport them to Jerusalem to the temple of our God.
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 282 along the way. 8:32 So we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there for three days. 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 283 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. 8:34 Everything was verified 284 by number and by weight, and the total weight was written down at that time.
8:35 The exiles who were returning from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel – twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven male lambs, along with twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. 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.
9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents 285 who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race 286 has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!”
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. 9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe 287 gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. 288 Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.
9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, 289 with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 9:6 I prayed, 290
“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 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 291 priests, have been delivered over by the local kings 292 to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.
9:8 “But now briefly 293 we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position 294 in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes 295 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 296 to restore the temple of our God and to raise 297 up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem. 298
9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: 299 ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! 300 With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children 301 forever.’
9:13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint 302 toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 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 303 no one can really stand before you.”
Ezra 4:1-3
Konteks4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles 304 were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders 305 and said to them, “Let us help you build, 306 for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him 307 from the time 308 of King Esarhaddon 309 of Assyria, who brought us here.” 310 4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right 311 to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”
Ezra 4:5
Konteks4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time 312 of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius 313 of Persia. 314
Ezra 1:1--2:70
Konteks1:1 315 In the first 316 year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message 317 spoken through 318 Jeremiah, 319 the Lord stirred the mind 320 of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated 321 a proclamation 322 throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict 323 the following: 324
1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple 325 for him in Jerusalem, 326 which is in Judah. 1:3 Anyone from 327 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. 1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors 328 with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”
1:5 Then the leaders 329 of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites – all those whose mind God had stirred – got ready 330 to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 331 1:6 All their neighbors assisted 332 them with silver utensils, 333 gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention 334 all the voluntary offerings.
1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed 335 in the temple of his gods. 1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted 336 them to 337 Mithredath 338 the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar 339 the leader of the Judahite exiles. 340
1:9 The inventory 341 of these items was as follows:
30 gold basins, 342
1,000 silver basins,
29 silver utensils, 343
1:10 30 gold bowls,
410 other 344 silver bowls,
and 1,000 other vessels.
1:11 All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400. 345 Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
2:1 346 These are the people 347 of the province who were going up, 348 from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem 349 and Judah, each to his own city. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelites 350 was as follows: 351
2:3 the descendants 352 of Parosh: 2,172;
2:4 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
2:5 the descendants of Arah: 775;
2:6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line 353 of Jeshua and 354 Joab): 2,812;
2:7 the descendants of Elam: 1,254;
2:8 the descendants of Zattu: 945;
2:9 the descendants of Zaccai: 760;
2:10 the descendants of Bani: 642;
2:11 the descendants of Bebai: 623;
2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;
2:13 the descendants of Adonikam: 666;
2:14 the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056;
2:15 the descendants of Adin: 454;
2:16 the descendants of Ater (through 355 Hezekiah): 98;
2:17 the descendants of Bezai: 323;
2:18 the descendants of Jorah: 112;
2:19 the descendants of Hashum: 223;
2:20 the descendants of Gibbar: 95.
2:21 The men 356 of Bethlehem: 357 123;
2:22 the men of Netophah: 56;
2:23 the men of Anathoth: 128;
2:24 the men of the family 358 of Azmaveth: 42;
2:25 the men of Kiriath Jearim, 359 Kephirah and Beeroth: 743;
2:26 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;
2:27 the men of Micmash: 122;
2:28 the men of Bethel 360 and Ai: 223;
2:29 the descendants of Nebo: 52;
2:30 the descendants of Magbish: 156;
2:31 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;
2:32 the descendants of Harim: 320;
2:33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725;
2:34 the men of Jericho: 361 345;
2:35 the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.
2:36 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family 362 of Jeshua): 973;
2:37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052;
2:38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247;
2:39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017.
2:40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74.
2:41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128.
2:42 The gatekeepers: 363 the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139.
2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 2:44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 2:45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 2:46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, 364 the descendants of Hanan, 2:47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 2:48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 2:49 the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 2:50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 2:51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 2:52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 2:53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 2:54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.
2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 2:56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 2:57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami.
2:58 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392.
2:59 These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify 365 their family connection 366 or their ancestry, 367 as to whether they really were from Israel):
2:60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652.
2:61 And from among 368 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 369 name). 2:62 They 370 searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. 371 They were therefore excluded 372 from the priesthood. 2:63 The governor 373 instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult 374 the Urim and Thummim.
2:64 The entire group numbered 42,360, 375 2:65 not counting 376 their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 2:66 and 736 horses, 245 mules, 2:67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 2:68 When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders 377 offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild 378 it on its site. 2:69 As they were able, 379 they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas 380 of gold, 5,000 minas 381 of silver, and 100 priestly robes. 382
2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.
[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] 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.
[2:2] 5 tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
[2:2] 6 tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
[1:1] 8 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] 9 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539
[1:1] 10 tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”
[1:1] 11 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] 12 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
[1:1] 13 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] 14 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
[1:1] 15 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] 16 sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
[1:1] 17 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”
[1:2] 18 tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
[1:2] 19 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:4] 21 tn Heb “the men of his place.”
[1:5] 22 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[1:5] 24 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:6] 25 tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”
[1:6] 26 tc The MT reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhley khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the LXX manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriw), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol-bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (בּ); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
[1:6] 27 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
[1:7] 28 tn Heb “and he gave them.”
[1:8] 29 tn Heb “brought them forth.”
[1:8] 30 tn Heb “upon the hand of.”
[1:8] 31 sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.
[1:8] 32 sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.
[1:8] 33 tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”
[1:9] 34 tn Heb “these are their number.”
[1:9] 35 tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (’agartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and Syriac qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallo", “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” ZAW 62 [1950]: 199-207; DCH 1:118 s.v.). The LXX translated it as ψυκτήρ (yukthr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.
[1:9] 36 tn Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” (BDB 322 s.v. חָלַף) or “to cut through” (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” (BDB 322 s.v. מַחֲלָף; HALOT 569 s.v. *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm (“knives”; UT 19) and Syriac khalofta (“shearing knife”; HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף). The Vulgate translated it as “knives,” while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: “knives” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), “censers” (RSV), “duplicates” (NASV), “silver pans” (NIV), “bowls” (TEV), “other dishes” (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).
[1:10] 37 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” (BDB 1041 s.v.), “what is doubled, two-fold” (HALOT 650 s.v. מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (KJV, NASV, RSV margin), “410 other silver bowls” (NRSV) and “410 matching silver bowls” (NIV). BDB 1041 s.v. משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the LXX: “two thousand” (so RSV: “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (mÿshunim, “changed”).
[1:11] 38 sn The total number as given in the MT does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13-15 (RSV) says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censures, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”
[2:1] 39 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] 40 tn Heb “the sons of.”
[2:1] 41 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] 42 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:2] 43 tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
[2:2] 44 tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
[2:3] 45 tn Heb “the sons of.”
[2:6] 46 tn Heb “to the sons of.” Cf. v. 40.
[2:6] 47 tc The MT reads יוֹאָב (yo’av, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (vÿyo’av, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.
[2:16] 48 tn Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.
[2:21] 49 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַנְשֵׁי (’anshe, “the men of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT. So also in vv. 25, 26, 33, 34.
[2:21] 50 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:24] 51 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַשְׁנֵי בֵּית (’ashne bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:24] tn Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: NAB, NLT “Beth-azmaveth.”
[2:25] 52 tc The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (’arim) of the MT.
[2:28] 53 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[2:34] 54 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[2:36] 55 tn Heb “the house of.”
[2:42] 56 tc Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:46] 57 tc The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT Kethib “Shamlai” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV).
[2:59] 59 tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
[2:59] 60 tn Heb “their seed.”
[2:61] 61 tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:62] 64 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] 65 tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
[2:63] 66 tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).
[2:64] 68 sn The same total is given in Neh 7:66, but it is difficult to understand how this number is reached, since the numbers of people listed in the constituent groups do not add up to 42,360. The list in vv. 3-60 apparently is not intended to be exhaustive, but the basis of the selectivity is unclear.
[2:65] 69 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
[2:68] 70 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[2:68] 71 tn Heb “cause it to stand.”
[2:69] 72 tn Heb “according to their strength.”
[2:69] 73 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkÿmonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by NAB, NASB, NIV) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן; HALOT 232 s.v. נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּמֹ; cf. ASV, NRSV). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206-9.
[2:69] 74 sn The מָנִים (manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels (BDB 584 s.v. מָנֶה; HALOT 599 s.v. מָנֶה). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 203-6.
[3:1] 76 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”
[3:1] 77 tn The word “living” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied. Some translations supply “settled” (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
[3:1] 78 tc The translation reads with some medieval Hebrew
[3:1] 79 tn The Hebrew text adds the phrase “like one man.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[3:1] 81 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[3:2] 82 sn Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.
[3:2] 83 tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”
[3:2] 84 tn Heb “his brothers.”
[3:2] 85 tn Heb “arose and built.”
[3:2] 86 tn Heb “written in.” Cf. v. 4.
[3:3] 87 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
[3:4] 88 tn The Hebrew phrase אֶת חַג־הַסֻּכּוֹת (’et khag-hassukot, “festival of huts” [or “shelters”]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering “booths” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is probably better than the traditional “tabernacles” in light of the meaning of the term סֻכָּה (sukkah, “hut; booth”), but “booths” are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. The nature of the celebration during this feast as a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt suggests that a translation like “temporary shelters” is more appropriate.
[3:4] 89 tn Heb “according to what is written.”
[3:6] 91 tn Or “the foundation of the
[3:7] 93 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[3:7] 94 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[3:8] 96 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[3:8] 97 tn Heb “began”; the phrase “the work” is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[3:8] 98 tn Heb “their brothers.”
[3:8] 100 tn Heb “from twenty years and upward.”
[3:9] 102 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).
[3:10] 104 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] 105 tn Heb “according to the hands of.”
[3:10] 106 sn See Ps 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.
[3:11] 107 tn Heb “they answered.”
[3:12] 109 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[3:12] 110 sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586
[3:12] 111 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
[3:13] 112 tn Heb “a great shout.”
[4:1] 113 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”
[4:2] 114 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.
[4:2] 115 tn Heb “Let us build with you.”
[4:2] 116 tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran
[4:2] 118 sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669
[4:2] 119 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.
[4:3] 120 tn Heb “not to you and to us.”
[4:4] 121 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] 122 tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”
[4:5] 123 tn Heb “all the days of.”
[4:5] 124 sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486
[4:5] 125 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.
[4:6] 126 sn The chronological problems of Ezra 4:6-24 are well known and have been the subject of extensive discussion since ancient times. Both v. 5 and v. 24 describe the reign of Darius I Hystaspes, who ruled Persia ca. 522–486
[4:6] 127 sn Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 486-464
[4:6] 128 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:7] 129 tn Heb “And in the days.”
[4:7] 130 tn The LXX understands this word as a prepositional phrase (“in peace”) rather than as a proper name (“Bishlam”). Taken this way it would suggest that Mithredath was “in agreement with” the contents of Tabeel’s letter. Some scholars regard the word in the MT to be a corruption of either “in Jerusalem” (i.e., “in the matter of Jerusalem”) or “in the name of Jerusalem.” The translation adopted above follows the traditional understanding of the word as a name.
[4:7] 131 tc The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.
[4:7] 132 sn Artaxerxes I ruled in Persia from ca. 465–425
[4:7] 133 tc It is preferable to delete the MT’s וּכְתָב (ukhÿtav) here.
[4:7] 134 sn The double reference in v. 7 to the Aramaic language is difficult. It would not make sense to say that the letter was written in Aramaic and then translated into Aramaic. Some interpreters understand the verse to mean that the letter was written in the Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language, but this does not seem to give sufficient attention to the participle “translated” at the end of the verse. The second reference to Aramaic in the verse is more probably a gloss that calls attention to the fact that the following verses retain the Aramaic language of the letter in its original linguistic form. A similar reference to Aramaic occurs in Dan 2:4b, where the language of that book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. Ezra 4:8–6:18 and 7:12-26 are written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book is written in Hebrew.
[4:8] 135 tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.
[4:8] 136 sn Like Rehum, Shimshai was apparently a fairly high-ranking official charged with overseeing Persian interests in this part of the empire. His title was “scribe” or “secretary,” but in a more elevated political sense than that word sometimes has elsewhere. American governmental titles such as “Secretary of State” perhaps provide an analogy in that the word “secretary” can have a broad range of meaning.
[4:8] 137 tn Or perhaps “against.”
[4:9] 138 tn Aram “then.” What follows in v. 9 seems to be the preface of the letter, serving to identify the senders of the letter. The word “from” is not in the Aramaic text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[4:9] 139 tn For the qere of the MT (דֶּהָיֵא, dehaye’, a proper name) it seems better to retain the Kethib דִּהוּא (dihu’, “that is”). See F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 25, §35; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 36.
[4:10] 140 tn Aram “Osnappar” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), another name for Ashurbanipal.
[4:10] sn Ashurbanipal succeeded his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria in 669
[4:10] 141 tc The translation reads with the ancient versions the plural בְּקֻרְיַהּ (bÿquryah, “in the cities”) rather than the singular (“in the city”) of the MT.
[4:10] 142 tn Aram “beyond the river.” In Ezra this term is a technical designation for the region west of the Euphrates river.
[4:11] 143 tn The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.
[4:12] 145 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] 146 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.
[4:13] 147 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.
[4:14] 148 tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”
[4:14] 149 tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”
[4:14] 150 tn Aram “and we have made known.”
[4:15] 151 tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”
[4:15] 152 tn Aram “of your fathers.”
[4:15] 153 tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
[4:15] 154 tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”
[4:15] 155 tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”
[4:15] 156 tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.
[4:16] 157 tn Aram “will not be to you.”
[4:19] 159 tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”
[4:19] 160 tn Aram “and they searched and found.”
[4:19] 161 tn Aram “are being done.”
[4:20] 162 sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.
[4:20] 163 tn Aram “were being given to them.”
[4:21] 164 tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”
[4:23] 165 tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”
[4:23] 166 tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.
[4:24] 167 sn Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia ca. 522–486
[5:1] 168 tn Aram “son.” According to Zech 1:1 he was actually the grandson of Iddo.
[5:1] 169 tn Aram “and Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo the prophet.”
[5:1] 170 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:2] 171 tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
[5:3] 172 tn Aram “who placed to you a command?” So also v. 9.
[5:3] 173 tn The exact meaning of the Aramaic word אֻשַּׁרְנָא (’ussarna’) here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean “wall.” Here it is used in collocation with בַּיְתָא (bayta’, “house” as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ashurru (“wall”) or ashru (“sanctuary”; so BDB). F. Rosenthal, who translates the word “furnishings,” thinks that it probably enters Aramaic from Persian (Grammar, 62-63, §189).
[5:4] 174 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew
[5:5] 175 tn Aram “the eye of their God was on.” The idiom describes the attentive care that one exercises in behalf of the object of his concern.
[5:5] 176 tn Aram “they did not stop them.”
[5:5] 177 tn Aram “[could] go.” On this form see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 58, §169.
[5:7] 178 tn Aram “and it was written in its midst.”
[5:7] 179 tn Aram “all peace.”
[5:8] 180 tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.
[5:11] 181 sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.
[5:12] 183 tn Aram “hand” (singular).
[5:12] 184 sn A reference to the catastrophic events of 586
[5:13] 185 sn Cyrus was actually a Persian king, but when he conquered Babylon in 539
[5:14] 187 tn Aram “they were given.”
[5:15] 188 tn Aram “upon its place.”
[5:16] 189 tn Aram “from then and until now.”
[5:17] 190 tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”
[5:17] 191 tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”
[6:1] 192 tn Aram “the house of the archives.”
[6:2] 193 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.
[6:3] 194 tn Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”
[6:3] 195 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:3] 196 tn Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.
[6:3] 197 tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “twenty cubits” here, a measurement probably derived from dimensions given elsewhere for Solomon’s temple. According to 1 Kgs 6:2 the dimensions of the Solomonic temple were as follows: length, 60 cubits; width, 20 cubits; height, 30 cubits. Since one would expect the dimensions cited in Ezra 6:3 to correspond to those of Solomon’s temple, it is odd that no dimension for length is provided. The Syriac has apparently harmonized the width dimension provided here (“twenty cubits”) to that given in 1 Kgs 6:2.
[6:3] 198 tn Aram “Its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long.
[6:4] 199 tn Aram “stones of rolling.”
[6:4] 200 tc The translation follows the LXX reading חַד (khad, “one”) rather than the MT חֲדַת (khadat, “new”). If the MT reading “new” is understood to mean freshly cut timber that has not yet been seasoned it would seem to be an odd choice for construction material.
[6:4] 201 tn Aram “let be given.”
[6:7] 203 tc For the MT reading “the work on this temple of God” the LXX reads “the servant of the Lord Zurababel” [= Zerubbabel].
[6:8] 204 tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[6:9] 205 tn Aram “according to the word of.”
[6:10] 206 tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”
[6:11] 207 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] 209 tn Aram “a dunghill.”
[6:11] 210 tn Aram “for this.”
[6:12] 212 tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”
[6:14] 214 tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.
[6:15] 215 sn The sixth year of the reign of Darius would be ca. 516
[6:16] 217 tn Aram “sons of the exile.”
[6:18] 218 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:18] 219 tn Aram “according to the writing of.”
[6:19] 220 sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (4:8–6:18) back to Hebrew. Aramaic will again be used in Ezra 7:12-26.
[6:19] 221 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.” So also in v. 20.
[6:20] 222 tn Heb “as one.” The expression is best understood as referring to the unity shown by the religious leaders in preparing themselves for the observance of Passover. On the meaning of the Hebrew phrase see DCH 1:182 s.v. אֶחָד 3b. See also HALOT 30 s.v. אֶחָד 5.
[6:21] 224 tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”
[6:22] 226 sn The expression “king of Assyria” is anachronistic, since Assyria fell in 612
[6:22] 227 tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”
[7:1] 228 sn If the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7:1 is Artaxerxes I Longimanus (ca. 464–423
[7:1] 229 tn The words “came up from Babylon” do not appear in the Hebrew text until v. 6. They have been supplied here for the sake of clarity.
[7:7] 230 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] 231 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[7:9] 232 tc The translation reads יִסַּד (yissad, “he appointed” [= determined]) rather than the reading יְסֻד (yÿsud, “foundation”) of the MT. (The words “to make” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.)
[7:9] 233 sn Apparently it took the caravan almost four months to make the five hundred mile journey.
[7:10] 234 tn Heb “established his heart.”
[7:10] 235 tn Heb “to do and to teach.” The expression may be a hendiadys, in which case it would have the sense of “effectively teaching.”
[7:11] 237 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.
[7:11] 238 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.
[7:12] 239 sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
[7:13] 240 tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.
[7:13] 241 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[7:14] 243 tn Aram “in your hand.”
[7:17] 245 tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”
[7:18] 246 tn Aram “brothers.”
[7:20] 248 tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
[7:21] 249 tn Aram “who are in.”
[7:22] 250 tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (mÿshakh battin) rather than מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (battin mÿshakh) of the MT.
[7:22] 251 tn Aram “he did not write.”
[7:23] 252 tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qÿtsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.
[7:24] 253 tn Aram “we are making known to you.”
[7:25] 254 tn Aram “in your hand.”
[7:25] 255 tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammatei", “scribes”).
[7:26] 256 tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.
[7:27] 257 sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (7:12-26) back to Hebrew.
[8:1] 258 tn Heb “the heads of their families.”
[8:3] 259 tc The MT reads here “from the sons of Shecaniah” with no descendant identified in what follows, contrary to the pattern of the context elsewhere. However, it seems better to understand the first phrase of v. 3 with the end of v. 2; the phrase would then modify the name “Hattush.” This understanding requires emending the reading מִבְּנֵי (mibbÿne, “from the sons of”) in the MT to בֵּן (ben,“[the] son of”). Cf. NAB, TEV, CEV, NLT.
[8:5] 260 tc The MT lacks “of Zattu.” The translation adopted above follows the LXX in including the words.
[8:10] 261 tc The MT lacks “Bani.” It is restored on the basis of certain LXX
[8:13] 262 tn Or “those who came later.” The exact meaning of this Hebrew phrase is uncertain. It may refer to the last remaining members of Adonikam’s family who were in Babylon. So, for example, H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 108; cf. NASB, NIV, NCV. The phrase has also been taken to mean “the younger sons (so NAB), or the ones who “returned at a later date” (so TEV).
[8:14] 263 tc The translation reads with the Qere, the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וְזַּכּוּר (vÿzakkur, “and Zaccur”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְזַבוּד (vÿzavud, “and Zabbud”).
[8:14] 264 tn The MT has “with him” (so NAB). The present translation (“with them”) is based on the reading of many medieval Hebrew
[8:15] 265 tn Or “I gathered them.”
[8:15] 266 tn Heb “river.” So also in vv. 21, 31.
[8:16] 267 tc The name “Elnathan” occurs twice in this list. Some, assuming an accidental repetition, would include it only once (cf. NAB).
[8:17] 268 tn Heb “I placed in their mouth words.”
[8:17] 269 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] 270 tn Heb “in the place called.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[8:18] 271 tn Heb “and Sherebiah.” The words “this man was” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[8:18] 272 tn Or “relatives” (so CEV; NRSV “kin”); also in v. 19.
[8:21] 273 tn Heb “a straight way.”
[8:22] 274 tn A number of modern translations regard this as a collective singular and translate “from enemies” (also in v. 31).
[8:22] 275 tn Heb “his strength and his anger.” The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms).
[8:24] 276 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] 277 tn Or “relatives”; or “colleagues” (cf. NLT “ten other priests”).
[8:26] 278 tn Heb “upon their hand.”
[8:26] 279 tn Possibly “100 silver vessels worth [?] talents” or “silver vessels weighing 100 talents.”
[8:29] 280 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[8:31] 282 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] 283 tn Heb “upon the hand of.”
[8:34] 284 tn The words “everything was verified” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:1] 285 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.” So also in v. 2.
[9:2] 286 tn Heb “the holy seed,” referring to the Israelites as God’s holy people.
[9:4] 287 tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”
[9:4] 288 tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:5] 289 tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.
[9:7] 291 tc The MT lacks “and” here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.
[9:7] 292 tn Heb “the kings of the lands.”
[9:8] 293 tn Heb “according to a little moment.”
[9:8] 294 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] 295 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] 296 tn Heb “has granted us reviving.”
[9:9] 297 tn Heb “to cause to stand.”
[9:9] 298 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[9:11] 299 tn Heb “through your servants the prophets, saying.”
[9:11] 300 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
[9:12] 301 tn Heb “sons”; cf. KJV, NAB, NIV, NLT “children”; NCV, TEV “descendants.”
[9:13] 302 tn Heb “held back downwards from”; KJV “hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve” (NIV, NRSV, NLT all similar).
[9:15] 303 tn Heb “this”; the referent (the guilt mentioned previously) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:1] 304 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”
[4:2] 305 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.
[4:2] 306 tn Heb “Let us build with you.”
[4:2] 307 tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran
[4:2] 309 sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669
[4:2] 310 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.
[4:3] 311 tn Heb “not to you and to us.”
[4:5] 312 tn Heb “all the days of.”
[4:5] 313 sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486
[4:5] 314 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.
[1:1] 315 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] 316 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539
[1:1] 317 tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”
[1:1] 318 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] 319 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
[1:1] 320 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] 321 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
[1:1] 322 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] 323 sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
[1:1] 324 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”
[1:2] 325 tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
[1:2] 326 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:4] 328 tn Heb “the men of his place.”
[1:5] 329 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[1:5] 331 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:6] 332 tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”
[1:6] 333 tc The MT reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhley khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the LXX manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriw), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol-bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (בּ); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
[1:6] 334 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
[1:7] 335 tn Heb “and he gave them.”
[1:8] 336 tn Heb “brought them forth.”
[1:8] 337 tn Heb “upon the hand of.”
[1:8] 338 sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.
[1:8] 339 sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.
[1:8] 340 tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”
[1:9] 341 tn Heb “these are their number.”
[1:9] 342 tn The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (’agartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and Syriac qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallo", “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” (BDB 173-74 s.v.; HALOT 11 s.v.); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” ZAW 62 [1950]: 199-207; DCH 1:118 s.v.). The LXX translated it as ψυκτήρ (yukthr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.
[1:9] 343 tn Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” (BDB 322 s.v. חָלַף) or “to cut through” (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” (BDB 322 s.v. מַחֲלָף; HALOT 569 s.v. *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm (“knives”; UT 19) and Syriac khalofta (“shearing knife”; HALOT 321 s.v. II חלף). The Vulgate translated it as “knives,” while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: “knives” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), “censers” (RSV), “duplicates” (NASV), “silver pans” (NIV), “bowls” (TEV), “other dishes” (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).
[1:10] 344 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” (BDB 1041 s.v.), “what is doubled, two-fold” (HALOT 650 s.v. מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (KJV, NASV, RSV margin), “410 other silver bowls” (NRSV) and “410 matching silver bowls” (NIV). BDB 1041 s.v. משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the LXX: “two thousand” (so RSV: “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (mÿshunim, “changed”).
[1:11] 345 sn The total number as given in the MT does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9-11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13-15 (RSV) says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censures, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”
[2:1] 346 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] 347 tn Heb “the sons of.”
[2:1] 348 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] 349 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:2] 350 tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
[2:2] 351 tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
[2:3] 352 tn Heb “the sons of.”
[2:6] 353 tn Heb “to the sons of.” Cf. v. 40.
[2:6] 354 tc The MT reads יוֹאָב (yo’av, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (vÿyo’av, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.
[2:16] 355 tn Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.
[2:21] 356 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַנְשֵׁי (’anshe, “the men of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT. So also in vv. 25, 26, 33, 34.
[2:21] 357 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:24] 358 tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַשְׁנֵי בֵּית (’ashne bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:24] tn Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: NAB, NLT “Beth-azmaveth.”
[2:25] 359 tc The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (’arim) of the MT.
[2:28] 360 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[2:34] 361 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[2:36] 362 tn Heb “the house of.”
[2:42] 363 tc Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:46] 364 tc The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT Kethib “Shamlai” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV).
[2:59] 366 tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
[2:59] 367 tn Heb “their seed.”
[2:61] 368 tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.
[2:62] 371 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] 372 tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
[2:63] 373 tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).
[2:64] 375 sn The same total is given in Neh 7:66, but it is difficult to understand how this number is reached, since the numbers of people listed in the constituent groups do not add up to 42,360. The list in vv. 3-60 apparently is not intended to be exhaustive, but the basis of the selectivity is unclear.
[2:65] 376 tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
[2:68] 377 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[2:68] 378 tn Heb “cause it to stand.”
[2:69] 379 tn Heb “according to their strength.”
[2:69] 380 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkÿmonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by NAB, NASB, NIV) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן; HALOT 232 s.v. נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּמֹ; cf. ASV, NRSV). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206-9.
[2:69] 381 sn The מָנִים (manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels (BDB 584 s.v. מָנֶה; HALOT 599 s.v. מָנֶה). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 203-6.
