Ezra 3:3

3:3 They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples, ¹  and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and the evening offerings.

Ezra 4:23

4:23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem ²  and stopped them with threat of armed force. ³ 

Ezra 6:22

6:22 They observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with joy, for the Lord had given them joy and had changed the opinion ⁴  of the king of Assyria ⁵  toward them, so that he assisted ⁶  them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

[3:3]  ¹ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[4:23]  ² tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

[4:23]  ³ tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

[6:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “heart.”

[6:22]  ⁵ sn The expression “king of Assyria” is anachronistic, since Assyria fell in 612 b.c., long before the events of this chapter. Perhaps the expression is intended subtly to contrast earlier kings of Assyria who were hostile toward Israel with this Persian king who showed them favor.

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