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 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact ¹  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ²  and that of those who respect ³  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

Ezra 10:13

10:13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. ⁴  We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.

Ezra 10:16

10:16 So the exiles proceeded accordingly. Ezra the priest separated out ⁵  by name men who were leaders in their family groups. ⁶  They sat down to consider this matter on the first day of the tenth month,

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.”

¹ tn Heb “the time [is] rain showers.”

¹ 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.

² tn Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”