Then the angel that had been sent to me, whose name was Uriel, answered and said to me: The angel that had been sent to me refers to an angel sent by God to respond to Ezra’s prayer. This angel is not necessarily the one mentioned in 2 Esd 2.44, since chapter 3 begins essentially a new book. Revised Standard Version‘s translation makes it sound as if the same angel is in view; Good News Bible only a bit less so. The Latin text does not make this implication since Latin does not have any articles, whether definite or indefinite. The beginning of verse 1 is better translated “Then an angel named Uriel, who had been sent to me…” or “Then God sent an angel named Uriel to me….” The name Uriel means “God’s fire.” Although this name appears in the Bible (for example, 1 Chr 6.24), it is not used in the Bible of an angel’s name. However, the angel Uriel appears frequently in ancient Jewish literature outside the Bible. For answered and said to me, Good News Bible has simply “replied,” which many languages will find helpful. Hebrew often adds “and said” after another verb of speech to introduce a quote.

Your understanding has utterly failed regarding this world means Ezra’s understanding of what happens on the earth is completely insufficient. We may render this clause as “You cannot even understand things about [or, what happens in] this world” or “Ezra, you can’t even understand what happens on the earth [or, how this world works].”

And do you think you can comprehend the way of the Most High?: Compare John 3.12. By asking this question, the angel doubts that Ezra is able to understand what God does. For the Most High, see the comments on 2 Esd 3.3.

Here are two possible models for verses 1-2:

• 1 Then an angel was sent [by God] to answer me. His name was Uriel, 2 and he said, “You cannot even understand things about this world. Do you think you can understand the way that God Most High works [or, in which God Most High does what he does]?”

• 1 Then God sent an angel named Uriel to me. 2 He said, “Ezra, you cannot even understand what happens on earth, so do you really think you can understand the way that God Most High works?”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.