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 5:12

5:12 But after our ancestors ⁷  angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands ⁸  of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon. ⁹ 

[4:15]  ¹ tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”

[4:15]  ² tn Aram “of your fathers.”

[4:15]  ³ tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

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

[4:15]  ⁵ tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”

[4:15]  ⁶ tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.

[5:12]  ⁷ tn Aram “fathers.”

[5:12]  ⁸ tn Aram “hand” (singular).

[5:12]  ⁹ sn A reference to the catastrophic events of 586 b.c.