Ezra 3:12

3:12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders ¹  – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established ²  – were weeping loudly, ³  and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout.

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.

[3:12]  ¹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

[3:12]  ² sn The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.

[3:12]  ³ tn Heb “with a great voice.”

[9:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “according to a little moment.”

[9:8]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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.