Ezra 8:17

8:17 I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them ¹  what to say to Iddo and his relatives, ²  who were the temple servants in ³  Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

Ezra 9:11

9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ⁴  ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! ⁵  With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness.

Ezra 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact ⁶  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ⁷  and that of those who respect ⁸  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

[8:17]  ¹ tn Heb “I placed in their mouth words.”

[8:17]  ² tc The translation reads with the LXX and Vulgate וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brethren” = “relatives”; so NCV, NLT) rather than the reading אָחִיו (’akhiyv, “his brother”) of the MT.

[8:17]  ³ tn Heb “in the place called.” This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[9:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “through your servants the prophets, saying.”

[9:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[10:3]  ⁷ tn Heb “cut.”

[10:3]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”