Ezra 4:3

4:3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right ¹  to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

Ezra 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact ²  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ³  and that of those who respect ⁴  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

[4:3]  ¹ tn Heb “not to you and to us.”

[10:3]  ² tn Heb “cut.”

[10:3]  ³ 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.

[10:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”