O Lord who inhabitest eternity: Eternity is conceived here as if it were a place where God dwells (compare Isa 57.15). “O Lord, you live forever” (Good News Bible; compare Revised Standard Version footnote) is a good equivalent for this clause (see Tob 13.1).

Whose eyes are exalted: The Latin text here is literally “whose eyes are lifted up,” which is difficult to understand. Many commentators suggest that the Latin word oculi (“eyes”) should be changed to read caeli (“heavens”). Box, Stone, and Violet follow this emended text. This is presumably the text that Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, and New English Bible follow also. This reading is highly speculative, but we can offer no better suggestion.

And whose upper chambers are in the air (literally “and upper places/things in the air”) is a way of saying that God lives in heaven, but saying it in as impressive a manner as the author can think of. If we accept the emended text in the previous clause about “heavens,” then idea of God living in heaven is expressed three times in this verse.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• “O Lord, you live in eternity [or, forever], in the highest heavens.*
* The Latin text of this verse is not clear.

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.