Ezra 4:12

4:12 Now ¹  let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city. ²  They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations.

Ezra 4:15

4:15 so that he may initiate a search of the records ³  of his predecessors ⁴  and discover in those records ⁵  that this city is rebellious ⁶  and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts ⁷  from long ago. ⁸  It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed.

Ezra 4:17

4:17 The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings! ⁹ 

Ezra 4:23

4:23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem ¹⁰  and stopped them with threat of armed force. ¹¹ 

Ezra 5:3

5:3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority ¹²  to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?” ¹³ 

Ezra 6:17

6:17 For the dedication of this temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve male goats for the sin of all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

Ezra 7:17

7:17 With this money you should be sure to purchase bulls, rams, and lambs, along with the appropriate ¹⁴  meal offerings and libations. You should bring them to the altar of the temple of your God which is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 7:23-24

7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath ¹⁵  against the empire of the king and his sons? 7:24 Furthermore, be aware of the fact ¹⁶  that you have no authority to impose tax, tribute, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the musicians, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or the attendants at the temple of this God.

[4:12]  ¹ tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.

[4:12]  ² sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.

[4:15]  ³ tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

[4:15]  ⁴ tn Aram “of your fathers.”

[4:15]  ⁵ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

[4:15]  ⁶ tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”

[4:15]  ⁷ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

[4:15]  ⁸ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

[4:17]  ⁵ tn Aram “peace.”

[4:23]  ⁷ tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”

[4:23]  ⁸ tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.

[5:3]  ⁹ tn Aram “who placed to you a command?” So also v. 9.

[5:3]  ¹⁰ tn The exact meaning of the Aramaic word אֻשַּׁרְנָא (’ussarna’) here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean “wall.” Here it is used in collocation with בַּיְתָא (bayta’, “house” as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ashurru (“wall”) or ashru (“sanctuary”; so BDB). F. Rosenthal, who translates the word “furnishings,” thinks that it probably enters Aramaic from Persian (Grammar, 62-63, §189).

[7:17]  ¹¹ tn Aram “their meal offerings and their libations.”

[7:23]  ¹³ tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qÿtsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.

[7:24]  ¹⁵ tn Aram “we are making known to you.”