The claim by the writers that the rebuilding of the city and its walls will lead to the loss of the province Beyond the River is a wild exaggeration but it is intended to get the attention of the king and impress him with the importance of their appeal. This statement is introduced as a fact, We make known to the king, even though this is only a ploy to maintain their own power and authority. Good News Translation interprets this statement to be their conviction, but it is preferable to leave it as their claim. In actual fact, according to Berquist, the fortification of Jerusalem was a strategy by the Persian king to protect the frontier of the empire against Greek threats.

You will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River: The conditions that were stated in verse 13 are repeated here, but here the conclusion is stronger. Not only will the king’s wealth be reduced, but his kingdom will be diminished. In very emphatic language they state “portion in Beyond-the-River there is not to you.” Similar structures occur in many languages. Translators should use what is equivalent and what is natural in their own languages (compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “you will no longer have any portion in the province Beyond the River”). “Portion” is an important word in the Old Testament, where it often refers to the people of Israel who are God’s portion (see Deut 32.9; Jer 12.10; Zech 2.12). It may also mean “portion of food” (Est 2.9), but here it refers to political possession. They warn him that he will not rule over any part of the province that is west of the Euphrates. New King James Version says “you will have no dominion beyond the River” and New Jerusalem Bible has “you will soon have no territories left in Transeuphrates.” Some languages may require a statement of closure to indicate that the letter ends here.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .