Ezra 5:13

5:13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon, ¹  King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God.

Ezra 4:5

4:5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time ²  of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius ³  of Persia. ⁴ 

Ezra 7:12

7:12 ⁵ “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the perfect law of the God of heaven:

Ezra 1:1

The Decree of Cyrus

1:1 ⁶ In the first ⁷  year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message ⁸  spoken through ⁹  Jeremiah, ¹⁰  the Lord stirred the mind ¹¹  of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated ¹²  a proclamation ¹³  throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict ¹⁴  the following: ¹⁵ 

Ezra 6:15

6:15 They finished this temple on the third day of the month Adar, which is the sixth ¹⁶  year of the reign of King Darius.

Ezra 6:1

Darius Issues a Decree

6:1 So Darius the king issued orders, and they searched in the archives ¹⁷  of the treasury which were deposited there in Babylon.

Ezra 7:8

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

Ezra 1:8

1:8 King Cyrus of Persia entrusted ¹⁸  them to ¹⁹  Mithredath ²⁰  the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar ²¹  the leader of the Judahite exiles. ²² 

Ezra 7:20

7:20 The rest of the needs for the temple of your God that you may have to supply, ²³  you may do so from the royal treasury.

Ezra 4:24

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. ²⁴ 

Ezra 1:7

1:7 Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed ²⁵  in the temple of his gods.

Ezra 7:1

The Arrival of Ezra

7:1 Now after these things had happened, during the reign of King Artaxerxes ²⁶  of Persia, Ezra came up from Babylon. ²⁷  Ezra was the son of Seraiah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Hilkiah,

Ezra 8:1

The Leaders Who Returned with Ezra

8:1 These are the leaders ²⁸  and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

Ezra 7:23

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 ²⁹  against the empire of the king and his sons?

Ezra 7:27

7:27 ³⁰ Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem!

Ezra 1:2

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 ³¹  for him in Jerusalem, ³²  which is in Judah.

Ezra 6:3

6:3 In the first year of his reign, ³³  King Cyrus gave orders concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem: ³⁴  ‘Let the temple be rebuilt as a place where sacrifices are offered. Let its foundations be set in place. ³⁵  Its height is to be ninety feet and its width ninety ³⁶  feet, ³⁷ 

Ezra 4:20

4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates ³⁸  and who were the beneficiaries of ³⁹  tribute, custom, and toll.

Ezra 8:36

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

Ezra 4:22

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?”

Ezra 4:8

4:8 Rehum the commander ⁴⁰  and Shimshai the scribe ⁴¹  wrote a letter concerning ⁴²  Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

Ezra 6:13

The Temple Is Finally Dedicated

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. ⁴³ 

Ezra 7:11

Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission

7:11 What follows ⁴⁴  is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. ⁴⁵  Ezra was ⁴⁶  a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:

Ezra 7:7

7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought ⁴⁷  up to Jerusalem ⁴⁸  some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants.

Ezra 5:12

5:12 But after our ancestors ⁴⁹  angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands ⁵⁰  of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon. ⁵¹ 

Ezra 9:7

9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and ⁵²  priests, have been delivered over by the local kings ⁵³  to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment – right up to the present time.

Ezra 7:15

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,

Ezra 4:19

4:19 So I gave orders, ⁵⁴  and it was determined ⁵⁵  that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in ⁵⁶  rebellion and revolt.

Ezra 5:6

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.

Ezra 7:13

7:13 I have now issued a decree ⁵⁷  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. ⁵⁸ 

Ezra 7:26

7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely ⁵⁹  liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”

Ezra 7:28

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.

Ezra 6:10

6:10 so that they may be offering incense to the God of heaven and may be praying for the good fortune of the king and his family. ⁶⁰ 

Ezra 7:21

7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of ⁶¹  Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you –

Ezra 4:17

4:17 The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! ⁶² 

Ezra 7:14

7:14 You are authorized ⁶³  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, ⁶⁴ 

Ezra 4:7

4:7 And during the reign ⁶⁵  of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, ⁶⁶  Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues ⁶⁷  wrote to King Artaxerxes ⁶⁸  of Persia. This letter ⁶⁹  was first written in Aramaic but then translated.

[Aramaic:] ⁷⁰ 

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 ⁷¹  of the king of Assyria ⁷²  toward them, so that he assisted ⁷³  them in the work on the temple of God, the God of Israel.

Ezra 8:22

8:22 I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy ⁷⁴  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 ⁷⁵  is against everyone who forsakes him.”

Ezra 4:13

4:13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury ⁷⁶  will suffer loss.

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 ⁷⁷  and stopped them with threat of armed force. ⁷⁸ 

Ezra 5:17

5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, ⁷⁹  let a search be conducted in the royal archives ⁸⁰  there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”

Ezra 2:1

The Names of the Returning Exiles

2:1 ⁸¹ These are the people ⁸²  of the province who were going up, ⁸³  from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem ⁸⁴  and Judah, each to his own city.

Ezra 3:7

Preparations for Rebuilding the Temple

3:7 So they provided money ⁸⁵  for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon ⁸⁶  and Tyre, ⁸⁷  so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport ⁸⁸  at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia.

Ezra 3:10

3:10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, ⁸⁹  and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by ⁹⁰  King David of Israel. ⁹¹ 

Ezra 4:3

4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right ⁹²  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 5:11

5:11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king ⁹³  of Israel built it and completed it.

Ezra 6:12

6:12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation ⁹⁴  who reaches out ⁹⁵  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!”

Ezra 6:14

6:14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time ⁹⁶  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.

Ezra 7:6

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.

Ezra 8:25

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.

Ezra 5:14

5:14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace ⁹⁷  of Babylon – even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented ⁹⁸  to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor.

Ezra 4:2

4:2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders ⁹⁹  and said to them, “Let us help you build, ¹⁰⁰  for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him ¹⁰¹  from the time ¹⁰²  of King Esarhaddon ¹⁰³  of Assyria, who brought us here.” ¹⁰⁴ 

Ezra 4:15

4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records ¹⁰⁵  of his predecessors ¹⁰⁶  and discover in those records ¹⁰⁷  that this city is rebellious ¹⁰⁸  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ¹⁰⁹  from long ago. ¹¹⁰  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

Ezra 9:9

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 ¹¹¹  to restore the temple of our God and to raise ¹¹²  up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem. ¹¹³ 

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. ¹¹⁴ 

Ezra 5:7

5:7 The report they sent to him was written as follows: ¹¹⁵ 

“To King Darius: All greetings! ¹¹⁶ 

Ezra 4:6

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews

4:6 ¹¹⁷ At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus ¹¹⁸  they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. ¹¹⁹ 

Ezra 4:11

4:11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to him:)

“To King Artaxerxes, ¹²⁰  from your servants in ¹²¹  Trans-Euphrates:

Ezra 6:4

6:4 with three layers of large stones ¹²²  and one ¹²³  layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized ¹²⁴  by the royal treasury. ¹²⁵ 

Ezra 4:14

4:14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king, ¹²⁶  and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage, ¹²⁷  we are sending the king this information ¹²⁸ 

Ezra 8:20

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.

Ezra 4:4

4:4 Then the local people ¹²⁹  began to discourage ¹³⁰  the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building.

Ezra 4:16

4:16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control ¹³¹  of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

Ezra 5:15

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.” ¹³² 

Ezra 2:55

2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda,

Ezra 4:12

4:12 Now ¹³³  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. ¹³⁴  They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 1:9

1:9 The inventory ¹³⁵  of these items was as follows:

30 gold basins, ¹³⁶ 

1,000 silver basins,

29 silver utensils, ¹³⁷ 

Ezra 5:5

5:5 But God was watching over ¹³⁸  the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped ¹³⁹  until a report could be dispatched ¹⁴⁰  to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.

Ezra 6:6

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

Ezra 1:3

1:3 Anyone from ¹⁴¹  his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel – he is the God who is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:12

3:12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders ¹⁴²  – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established ¹⁴³  – were weeping loudly, ¹⁴⁴  and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout.

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, ¹⁴⁵  and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.

Ezra 6:5

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.’

Ezra 6:21

6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them ¹⁴⁶  in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel.

[5:13]  ¹ sn Cyrus was actually a Persian king, but when he conquered Babylon in 539 b.c. he apparently appropriated to himself the additional title “king of Babylon.” The Syriac Peshitta substitutes “Persia” for “Babylon” here, but this is probably a hyper-correction.

[4:5]  ² tn Heb “all the days of.”

[4:5]  ³ sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 B.C.

[4:5]  ⁴ 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.

[7:12]  ⁵ sn Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.

[1:1]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 539-530 B.C.

[1:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.

[1:1]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “caused to pass.”

[1:1]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).

[1:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “in writing, saying.”

[6:15]  ¹⁶ sn The sixth year of the reign of Darius would be ca. 516 B.C.

[6:1]  ¹⁷ tn Aram “the house of the archives.”

[1:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “brought them forth.”

[1:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “upon the hand of.”

[1:8]  ²⁰ sn A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See HALOT 656 s.v. מִתְרְדָת.

[1:8]  ²¹ sn A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See HALOT 1664-65 s.v. שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.

[1:8]  ²² tn Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; TEV, CEV “the governor of Judah.”

[7:20]  ²³ tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”

[4:24]  ²⁴ sn Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia ca. 522–486 b.c.

[1:7]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and he gave them.”

[7:1]  ²⁶ sn If the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7:1 is Artaxerxes I Longimanus (ca. 464–423 B.C.), Ezra must have arrived in Jerusalem ca. 458 B.C., since Ezra 7:7-8 connects the time of his arrival to the seventh year of the king. The arrival of Nehemiah is then linked to the twentieth year of the king (Neh 1:1), or ca. 445 B.C. Some scholars, however, have suggested that Ezra 7:7 should be read as “the thirty-seventh year” rather than “the seventh year.” This would have Ezra coming to Jerusalem after, rather than before, the arrival of Nehemiah. Others have taken the seventh year of Ezra 7:7-8 to refer not to Artaxerxes I but to Artaxerxes II, who ruled ca. 404–358 B.C. In this understanding Ezra would have returned to Jerusalem ca. 398 B.C., a good many years after the return of Nehemiah. Neither of these views is certain, however, and it seems better to retain the traditional understanding of the chronological sequence of returns by Ezra and Nehemiah. With this understanding there is a gap of about fifty-eight years between chapter six, which describes the dedication of the temple in 516 b.c., and chapter seven, which opens with Ezra’s coming to Jerusalem in 458 b.c.

[7:1]  ²⁷ 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.

[8:1]  ²⁸ tn Heb “the heads of their families.”

[7:23]  ²⁹ 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.

[7:27]  ³⁰ sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (7:12-26) back to Hebrew.

[1:2]  ³¹ 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]  ³² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:3]  ³³ tn Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”

[6:3]  ³⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:3]  ³⁵ tn Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.

[6:3]  ³⁶ 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]  ³⁷ 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.

[4:20]  ³⁸ 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]  ³⁹ tn Aram “were being given to them.”

[4:8]  ⁴⁰ tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.

[4:8]  ⁴¹ 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]  ⁴² tn Or perhaps “against.”

[6:13]  ⁴³ tn Aram “sent.”

[7:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “this.”

[7:11]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.

[7:11]  ⁴⁶ tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[7:7]  ⁴⁷ 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]  ⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:12]  ⁴⁹ tn Aram “fathers.”

[5:12]  ⁵⁰ tn Aram “hand” (singular).

[5:12]  ⁵¹ sn A reference to the catastrophic events of 586 b.c.

[9:7]  ⁵² tc The MT lacks “and” here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.

[9:7]  ⁵³ tn Heb “the kings of the lands.”

[4:19]  ⁵⁴ tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”

[4:19]  ⁵⁵ tn Aram “and they searched and found.”

[4:19]  ⁵⁶ tn Aram “are being done.”

[7:13]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.

[7:13]  ⁵⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:26]  ⁵⁹ tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.

[6:10]  ⁶⁰ tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”

[7:21]  ⁶¹ tn Aram “who are in.”

[4:17]  ⁶² tn Aram “peace.”

[7:14]  ⁶³ tn Aram “sent.”

[7:14]  ⁶⁴ tn Aram “in your hand.”

[4:7]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “And in the days.”

[4:7]  ⁶⁶ 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]  ⁶⁷ tc The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.

[4:7]  ⁶⁸ sn Artaxerxes I ruled in Persia from ca. 465–425 b.c.

[4:7]  ⁶⁹ tc It is preferable to delete the MT’s וּכְתָב (ukhÿtav) here.

[4:7]  ⁷⁰ 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.

[6:22]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “heart.”

[6:22]  ⁷² 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]  ⁷³ tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”

[8:22]  ⁷⁴ tn A number of modern translations regard this as a collective singular and translate “from enemies” (also in v. 31).

[8:22]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “his strength and his anger.” The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms).

[4:13]  ⁷⁶ 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.

[4:23]  ⁷⁷ tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

[4:23]  ⁷⁸ tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

[5:17]  ⁷⁹ tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”

[5:17]  ⁸⁰ tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”

[2:1]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² tn Heb “the sons of.”

[2:1]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:7]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “silver.”

[3:7]  ⁸⁶ map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ⁸⁷ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[3:7]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “to the sea”

[3:10]  ⁸⁹ 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]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “according to the hands of.”

[3:10]  ⁹¹ sn See Ps 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.

[4:3]  ⁹² tn Heb “not to you and to us.”

[5:11]  ⁹³ sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.

[6:12]  ⁹⁴ tn Aram “people.”

[6:12]  ⁹⁵ tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”

[6:14]  ⁹⁶ tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.

[5:14]  ⁹⁷ tn Or “temple.”

[5:14]  ⁹⁸ tn Aram “they were given.”

[4:2]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “Let us build with you.”

[4:2]  ¹⁰¹ tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran MS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (vÿlo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (vÿlo’, “and not”).

[4:2]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “days.”

[4:2]  ¹⁰³ sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.

[4:2]  ¹⁰⁴ 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.

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Aram “of your fathers.”

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

[4:15]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

[4:15]  ¹¹⁰ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

[9:9]  ¹¹¹ tn Heb “has granted us reviving.”

[9:9]  ¹¹² tn Heb “to cause to stand.”

[9:9]  ¹¹³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:8]  ¹¹⁴ tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:7]  ¹¹⁵ tn Aram “and it was written in its midst.”

[5:7]  ¹¹⁶ tn Aram “all peace.”

[4:6]  ¹¹⁷ 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 b.c. and in whose time the rebuilt temple was finished. The material in between is from later times (v. 16 describes the rebuilding of the walls, not the temple), and so appear to be a digression. Even recognizing this, there are still questions, such as why Cambyses (530-522 b.c.) is not mentioned at all, and why events from the time of Xerxes (486-465 b.c.) and Artaxerxes (464-423 b.c.) are included here if the author was discussing opposition to the building of the temple, which was finished in 516 b.c. Theories to explain these difficulties are too numerous to mention here, but have existed since ancient times: Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, rearranged the account to put Cambyses before Xerxes and replacing Artaxerxes with Xerxes (for further discussion of Josephus’ rearrangement see L. L. Grabbe, “Josephus and the Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration” JBL 106 [1987]: 231-46). In brief, it seems best to view the author’s primary concern here as thematic (the theme of opposition to the Jewish resettlement in Jerusalem, including the rebuilding of the temple and restoration of Jerusalem’s walls) rather than purely chronological. In the previous verses the author had shown how the Jews had rejected an offer of assistance from surrounding peoples and how these people in turn harassed them. The inserted account shows how, in light of the unremitting opposition the Jews experienced (even extending down to more recent times), this refusal of help had been fully justified. Some of the documents the author employed show how this opposition continued even after the temple was rebuilt. (The failure to mention Cambyses may simply mean the author had no documents available from that period.) For detailed discussion of the difficulties presented by the passage and the various theories advanced to explain them, see H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 56-60.

[4:6]  ¹¹⁸ sn Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 486-464 b.c.

[4:6]  ¹¹⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:11]  ¹²⁰ 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.

[4:11]  ¹²¹ tn Aram “men of.”

[6:4]  ¹²² tn Aram “stones of rolling.”

[6:4]  ¹²³ 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]  ¹²⁴ tn Aram “let be given.”

[6:4]  ¹²⁵ tn Aram “house.”

[4:14]  ¹²⁶ tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”

[4:14]  ¹²⁷ tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”

[4:14]  ¹²⁸ tn Aram “and we have made known.”

[4:4]  ¹²⁹ 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]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”

[4:16]  ¹³¹ tn Aram “will not be to you.”

[5:15]  ¹³² tn Aram “upon its place.”

[4:12]  ¹³³ 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]  ¹³⁴ 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.

[1:9]  ¹³⁵ tn Heb “these are their number.”

[1:9]  ¹³⁶ 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]  ¹³⁷ 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”).

[5:5]  ¹³⁸ 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]  ¹³⁹ tn Aram “they did not stop them.”

[5:5]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Aram “[could] go.” On this form see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 58, §169.

[1:3]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “from all.”

[3:12]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

[3:12]  ¹⁴³ sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.

[3:12]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “with a great voice.”

[5:8]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.

[6:21]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”