Discovery BoxEzra 8:18
Context8:18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, 1 who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 2 18 men,
Ezra 8:1
Context8:1 These are the leaders 3 and those enrolled with them by genealogy who were coming up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
Ezra 3:11
Context3:11 With antiphonal response they sang, 4 praising and glorifying the Lord:
“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”
All the people gave a loud 5 shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.
Ezra 3:1
Context3:1 When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites 6 were living 7 in their 8 towns, the people assembled 9 in 10 Jerusalem. 11
Ezra 1:1
Context1:1 12 In the first 13 year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message 14 spoken through 15 Jeremiah, 16 the Lord stirred the mind 17 of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated 18 a proclamation 19 throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict 20 the following: 21
Ezra 1:1-2
Context1:1 22 In the first 23 year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message 24 spoken through 25 Jeremiah, 26 the Lord stirred the mind 27 of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated 28 a proclamation 29 throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict 30 the following: 31
1:2 “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:
“‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple 32 for him in Jerusalem, 33 which is in Judah.
Ezra 2:12
Context2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;
Proverbs 2:6
Context2:6 For 34 the Lord gives 35 wisdom,
and from his mouth 36 comes 37 knowledge and understanding.
Proverbs 20:5
Context20:5 Counsel 38 in a person’s heart 39 is like 40 deep water, 41
but an understanding person 42 draws it out.
Proverbs 28:2
Context28:2 When a country is rebellious 43 it has many princes, 44
but by someone who is discerning and knowledgeable 45 order is maintained. 46
Daniel 2:21
Context2:21 He changes times and seasons,
deposing some kings
and establishing others. 47
He gives wisdom to the wise;
he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; 48
Daniel 2:2
Context2:2 The king issued an order 49 to summon the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and wise men 50 in order to explain his dreams to him. 51 So they came and awaited the king’s instructions. 52
Daniel 2:7
Context2:7 They again replied, “Let the king inform us 53 of the dream; then we will disclose its 54 interpretation.”
Daniel 2:1
Context2:1 In the second year of his 55 reign Nebuchadnezzar had many dreams. 56 His mind 57 was disturbed and he suffered from insomnia. 58
Daniel 5:20
Context5:20 And when his mind 59 became arrogant 60 and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him.
[8:18] 1 tn Heb “and Sherebiah.” The words “this man was” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[8:18] 2 tn Or “relatives” (so CEV; NRSV “kin”); also in v. 19.
[8:1] 3 tn Heb “the heads of their families.”
[3:11] 4 tn Heb “they answered.”
[3:1] 6 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”
[3:1] 7 tn The word “living” is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied. Some translations supply “settled” (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
[3:1] 8 tc The translation reads with some medieval Hebrew
[3:1] 9 tn The Hebrew text adds the phrase “like one man.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[3:1] 11 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:1] 12 sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
[1:1] 13 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539
[1:1] 14 tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”
[1:1] 15 tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.
[1:1] 16 sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612
[1:1] 17 tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.
[1:1] 18 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
[1:1] 19 tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.
[1:1] 20 sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
[1:1] 21 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”
[1:1] 22 sn In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
[1:1] 23 sn The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 539
[1:1] 24 tn Heb “the word of the Lord.”
[1:1] 25 tc The MT reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (bÿfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.
[1:1] 26 sn Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11-14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612
[1:1] 27 tn Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26 s.v.). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 s.v. 7). So also in v. 5.
[1:1] 28 tn Heb “caused to pass.”
[1:1] 29 tn Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause – effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 s.v. 3.a.2.
[1:1] 30 sn For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder (ANET 315-16).
[1:1] 31 tn Heb “in writing, saying.”
[1:2] 32 tn Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 s.v. 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
[1:2] 33 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:6] 34 tn This is a causal clause. The reason one must fear and know the
[2:6] 35 tn The verb is an imperfect tense which probably functions as a habitual imperfect describing a universal truth in the past, present and future.
[2:6] 36 sn This expression is an anthropomorphism; it indicates that the
[2:6] 37 tn The verb “comes” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.
[20:5] 38 sn The noun means “advice, counsel”; it can have the connotation of planning or making decisions. Those with understanding can sort out plans.
[20:5] 39 tn Heb “in the heart of a man”; NRSV “in the human mind.”
[20:5] 40 tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied for the sake of clarity.
[20:5] 41 sn The motives or plans of a person are “difficult to fathom”; it takes someone with understanding to discover and surface them (the verb in the last colon continues the figure with the sense of bringing the plans to the surface and sorting them out).
[20:5] 42 tn Heb “a man of understanding”; TEV “someone with insight”; NLT “the wise.”
[28:2] 43 sn The Hebrew word translated “rebellious” has rebellion as its basic meaning, and that is the idea here. The proverb is describing a time when sinfulness brings about social and political unrest.
[28:2] 44 tn Heb “many are its princes” (so NASB).
[28:2] 45 tn Heb “a man who understands [and] knows”; NRSV “an intelligent ruler”; NLT “wise and knowledgeable leaders.”
[28:2] 46 tc The LXX reads (probably from a different underlying Hebrew text): “It is the fault of a violent man that quarrels start, but they are settled by a man of discernment.” For a survey of suggestions, see C. H. Toy, Proverbs (ICC), 495, and W. McKane, Proverbs (OTL), 630.
[2:21] 48 tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”
[2:2] 49 tn Heb “said.” So also in v. 12.
[2:2] 50 tn Heb “Chaldeans.” The term Chaldeans (Hebrew כַּשְׂדִּים, kasdim) is used in the book of Daniel both in an ethnic sense and, as here, to refer to a caste of Babylonian wise men and astrologers.
[2:2] 51 tn Heb “to explain to the king his dreams.”
[2:2] 52 tn Heb “stood before the king.”
[2:7] 53 tn Aram “his servants.”
[2:1] 55 tn Heb “Nebuchadnezzar’s.” The possessive pronoun is substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[2:1] 56 tn Heb “dreamed dreams.” The plural is used here and in v. 2, but the singular in v. 3. The plural “dreams” has been variously explained. Some interpreters take the plural as denoting an indefinite singular (so GKC 400 §124.o). But it may be that it is describing a stream of related dreams, or a dream state. In the latter case, one might translate: “Nebuchadnezzar was in a trance.” See further, J. A. Montgomery, Daniel (ICC), 142.
[2:1] 58 tn Heb “his sleep left (?) him.” The use of the verb הָיָה (hayah, “to be”) here is unusual. The context suggests a meaning such as “to be finished” or “gone.” Cf. Dan 8:27. Some scholars emend the verb to read נָדְדָה (nadÿdah, “fled”); cf. Dan 6:19. See further, DCH 2:540 s.v. היה I Ni.3; HALOT 244 s.v. היה nif; BDB 227-28 s.v. הָיָה Niph.2.
[5:20] 60 sn The point of describing Nebuchadnezzar as arrogant is that he had usurped divine prerogatives, and because of his immense arrogance God had dealt decisively with him.
