Ezra 2:63

2:63 The governor ¹  instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult ²  the Urim and Thummim.

Ezra 4:5

4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time ³  of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius ⁴  of Persia. ⁵ 

[2:63]  ¹ 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).

[2:63]  ² tn Heb “to stand.”

[4:5]  ³ tn Heb “all the days of.”

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

[4:5]  ⁵ 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.