5:12 They replied, “We will return these things, 4 and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials 5 swear to do what had been promised. 6
1 tn Heb “cut.”
2 tn The MT vocalizes this word as a plural, which could be understood as a reference to God. But the context seems to suggest that a human lord is intended. The apparatus of BHS suggests repointing the word as a singular (“my lord”), but this is unnecessary. The plural (“my lords”) can be understood in an honorific sense even when a human being is in view. Most English versions regard this as a reference to Ezra, so the present translation supplies “your” before “counsel” to make this clear.
3 tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”
4 tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Heb “according to this word.”
7 tn Heb “the nobles.”
8 tn The expression “a curse and an oath” may be a hendiadys, meaning “an oath with penalties.”
9 tn Heb “to walk in.”
10 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
11 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
12 tn Heb “give.”
13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
14 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”