And he told the Levites, the temple servants of Israel …: The verb told may be rendered “instructed” (Good News Bible) or “gave orders to.” The Levites were men from the tribe of Levi who assisted the priests in their Temple duties, and in some languages it will be helpful to makes this clear by translating the Levites, the temple servants of Israel as “the men from the tribe of Levi who helped the priests [or, worked] in the Temple” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

That they should sanctify themselves to the Lord means the Levites should perform the rituals that would make them ritually pure, eligible to serve in the Temple. This clause may be rendered “that they should make themselves ritually clean [or, pure] so as to be fit to serve the Lord.”

And put the holy ark of the Lord in the house: The holy ark of the Lord was a box made of acacia wood measuring about 110 centimeters (45 inches) by 66 centimeters (27 inches) and was approximately 66 centimeters (27 inches) high (Exo 25.10-22; 37.1-9). It represented the presence of God with his people. It was kept in the inner shrine (the holiest place) of the Temple. The house refers to the Temple. The traditional English rendering ark is a transliteration of the Latin, which means “chest” or “box.” Holy means the box was taboo and belonged to the Lord. Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this whole clause, saying “so that they could put the sacred Covenant Box of the Lord in the Temple.” According to 2 Chr 5, the ark had already been placed in the Temple at the time of King Solomon. Nothing is said here about why the ark should be replaced in the Temple. Perhaps it had been temporarily removed to make repairs on the Temple building. Perhaps it had been moved during the period preceding Josiah’s reforms, when the worship of God was not conducted correctly. Perhaps, as some scholars suggest from a study of passages such as Psa 48 and 132, the ark was brought out of the Temple for special ceremonial processions; the passage here would then be saying that it was to remain in the Temple and not be ever again taken out.

Which Solomon the king, the son of David, had built may be rendered “built by King Solomon son of David” (Contemporary English Version).

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• He also gave orders to the men of Levi who worked [or, helped the priests] in the Temple, to make themselves ritually clean so that they could serve the Lord [or, God]. Then he instructed them to put God’s Covenant Box in the Temple that King Solomon, the son of David, had built.

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.