Ezra 2:63

2:63 The governor ¹  instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult ²  the Urim and Thummim.

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 9:2

9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race ³  has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!”

Ezra 9:8

9:8 “But now briefly ⁴  we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position ⁵  in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes ⁶  and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude.

[2:63]  ¹ tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).

[2:63]  ² tn Heb “to stand.”

[9:2]  ³ tn Heb “the holy seed,” referring to the Israelites as God’s holy people.

[9:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “according to a little moment.”

[9:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “a peg” or “tent peg.” The imagery behind this word is drawn from the experience of nomads who put down pegs as they pitched their tents and made camp after times of travel.

[9:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “to cause our eyes to shine.” The expression is a figure of speech for “to revive.” See DCH 1:160 s.v. אור Hi.7.