9:33 The musicians and Levite family leaders stayed in rooms at the sanctuary 1 and were exempt from other duties, for day and night they had to carry out their assigned tasks.
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. 2 6:9 Whatever is needed – whether oxen or rams or lambs or burnt offerings for the God of heaven or wheat or salt or wine or oil, as required by 3 the priests who are in Jerusalem – must be given to them daily without any neglect,
7:21 “I, King Artaxerxes, hereby issue orders to all the treasurers of 5 Trans-Euphrates, that you precisely execute all that Ezra the priestly scribe of the law of the God of heaven may request of you – 7:22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, 6 and unlimited 7 salt. 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 8 against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact 9 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.
1 tn Heb “were in rooms.” The words “at the sanctuary” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
2 tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Aram “according to the word of.”
4 tn Aram “may fall to you to give.”
5 tn Aram “who are in.”
6 tc The translation reads מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (mÿshakh battin) rather than מְשַׁח בַּתִּין (battin mÿshakh) of the MT.
7 tn Aram “he did not write.”
8 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.
9 tn Aram “we are making known to you.”