Ezra 9:3

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.

Ezra 9:5

9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, ¹  with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God.

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 9:4

9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe ²  gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. ³  Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

Ezra 10:11

10:11 Now give praise to the Lord God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents ⁴  and from these foreign wives.”

Ezra 8:15

The Exiles Travel to Jerusalem

8:15 I had them assemble ⁵  at the canal ⁶  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.

Ezra 8:24

8:24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with ⁷  Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers, ⁸ 

Ezra 8:16

8:16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, ⁹  Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were teachers.

Ezra 8:26

8:26 I weighed out to them ¹⁰  650 talents of silver, silver vessels worth 100 talents, ¹¹  100 talents of gold,

Ezra 7:21

7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of ¹²  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 8:28

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.

Ezra 9:6

9:6 I prayed, ¹³ 

“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.

Ezra 6:12

6:12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation ¹⁴  who reaches out ¹⁵  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 10:1

The People Confess Their Sins

10:1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites – men, women, and children alike – gathered around him. The people wept loudly. ¹⁶ 

Ezra 6:11

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 ¹⁷  on it, and his house is to be reduced ¹⁸  to a rubbish heap ¹⁹  for this indiscretion. ²⁰ 

Ezra 8:21-22

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 ²¹  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 ²²  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 ²³  is against everyone who forsakes 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 4:21

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. ²⁴ 

Ezra 8:1

The Leaders Who Returned with Ezra

8:1 These are the leaders ²⁵  and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

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 ²⁶  for him in Jerusalem, ²⁷  which is in Judah.

Ezra 4:19

4:19 So I gave orders, ²⁸  and it was determined ²⁹  that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in ³⁰  rebellion and revolt.

Ezra 7:13-14

7:13 I have now issued a decree ³¹  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. ³²  7:14 You are authorized ³³  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, ³⁴ 

Ezra 9:1

A Prayer of Ezra

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 ³⁵  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.

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. ³⁶ 

Ezra 8:17

8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them ³⁷  what to say to Iddo and his relatives, ³⁸  who were the temple servants in ³⁹  Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

Ezra 4:20

4:20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates ⁴⁰  and who were the beneficiaries of ⁴¹  tribute, custom, and toll.

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 7:23-24

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 ⁴²  against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact ⁴³  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.

Ezra 9:15

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 ⁴⁴  no one can really stand before you.”

Ezra 10:2

10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, ⁴⁵  addressed Ezra:

“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying ⁴⁶  foreign women from the local peoples. ⁴⁷  Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. ⁴⁸ 

Ezra 10:16

10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out ⁴⁹  by name men who were leaders in their family groups. ⁵⁰  They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,

[9:5]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.

[9:4]  ² tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”

[9:4]  ³ tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “the peoples of the land.”

[8:15]  ⁵ tn Or “I gathered them.”

[8:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “river.” So also in vv. 21, 31.

[8:24]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Or “relatives”; or “colleagues” (cf. NLT “ten other priests”).

[8:16]  ⁹ tc The name “Elnathan” occurs twice in this list. Some, assuming an accidental repetition, would include it only once (cf. NAB).

[8:26]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “upon their hand.”

[8:26]  ¹¹ tn Possibly “100 silver vessels worth [?] talents” or “silver vessels weighing 100 talents.”

[7:21]  ¹² tn Aram “who are in.”

[9:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “I said.”

[6:12]  ¹⁴ tn Aram “people.”

[6:12]  ¹⁵ tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”

[10:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “with much weeping.”

[6:11]  ¹⁷ 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]  ¹⁸ tn Aram “made.”

[6:11]  ¹⁹ tn Aram “a dunghill.”

[6:11]  ²⁰ tn Aram “for this.”

[8:21]  ²¹ tn Heb “a straight way.”

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

[8:22]  ²³ tn Heb “his strength and his anger.” The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms).

[4:21]  ²⁴ tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”

[8:1]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the heads of their families.”

[1:2]  ²⁶ 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]  ²⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:19]  ²⁸ tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”

[4:19]  ²⁹ tn Aram “and they searched and found.”

[4:19]  ³⁰ tn Aram “are being done.”

[7:13]  ³¹ tn Heb “from me is placed a decree.” So also in v. 21.

[7:13]  ³² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:14]  ³³ tn Aram “sent.”

[7:14]  ³⁴ tn Aram “in your hand.”

[9:1]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.” So also in v. 2.

[6:8]  ³⁶ tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ³⁷ tn Heb “I placed in their mouth words.”

[8:17]  ³⁸ 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]  ³⁹ tn Heb “in the place called.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[4:20]  ⁴⁰ 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]  ⁴¹ tn Aram “were being given to them.”

[7:23]  ⁴² 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]  ⁴³ tn Aram “we are making known to you.”

[9:15]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “this”; the referent (the guilt mentioned previously) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:2]  ⁴⁵ 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]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.

[10:2]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[10:2]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “upon this.”

[10:16]  ⁴⁹ tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּבְדֵּל לוֹ (vayyavdel lo, “separated for himself”) rather than the Niphal plural וַיִּבָּדְלוּ (vayyibbadÿlu, “were separated”) of the MT.

[10:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”