Ezra 1:4

1:4 Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors ¹  with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

Ezra 4:12

4:12 Now ²  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. ³  They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 5:8

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, ⁴  and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.

Ezra 6:8

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. ⁵ 

Ezra 10:2

10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, ⁶  addressed Ezra:

“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying ⁷  foreign women from the local peoples. ⁸  Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. ⁹ 

[1:4]  ¹ tn Heb “the men of his place.”

[4:12]  ² 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]  ³ sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.

[5:8]  ⁴ tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.

[6:8]  ⁵ tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:2]  ⁶ tc The translation reads with the Qere, many medieval Hebrew MSS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate עֵילָם (’elam, “Elam”) rather than the reading עוֹלָם (’olam, “eternity”) found in the MT.

[10:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.

[10:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[10:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “upon this.”