Ezra 4:15

4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records ¹  of his predecessors ²  and discover in those records ³  that this city is rebellious ⁴  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ⁵  from long ago. ⁶  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

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. ⁷ 

Ezra 6:12

6:12 May God who makes his name to reside there overthrow any king or nation ⁸  who reaches out ⁹  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 7:25-26

7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, ¹⁰  appoint judges ¹¹  and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught. 7:26 Everyone who does not observe both the law of your God and the law of the king will be completely ¹²  liable to the appropriate penalty, whether it is death or banishment or confiscation of property or detainment in prison.”

¹ tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

² tn Aram “of your fathers.”

³ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

⁴ tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

⁵ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

⁶ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

⁷ tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Aram “people.”

¹⁴ tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”

¹⁹ tn Aram “in your hand.”

²⁰ tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammatei", “scribes”).

²⁵ tn On the meaning of this word see HALOT 1820-21 s.v. אָסְפַּרְנָא; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 14.