If any one of you, therefore, is of his people …: The king’s proclamation is sent throughout the Persian Kingdom, but it concerns only the Jews. We may begin this verse with “So then, all of you who worship this God….”

May his Lord be with him: Translators in many languages will wish to put this clause more naturally at the end of the verse (see our model below). But it is also possible to place it at the beginning of the verse, as Good News Bible does by saying “May the Lord be with those of you who….” Another possible model is “May the Lord help those of you who….”

And let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judea: The phrase go up to Jerusalem is an idiomatic Old Testament expression for traveling to Jerusalem from any point; Jerusalem was at a higher elevation than the area around it. There is no reference here to traveling north (“up” on a modern map), although from Babylonia the Jews would have to travel north to begin their journey, and then swing south, avoiding the desert in between Judah and Babylonia. In most languages this phrase may be rendered simply “go to [the city of] Jerusalem, which is in Judea” or “leave and go….” For which is in Judea, see the previous verse. Some languages may prefer to omit this repetitive expression (so Good News Bible).

And build the house of the Lord of Israel: Good News Bible says “and rebuild the Temple of the Lord of Israel.” Good News Bible uses the verb “rebuild” because the Temple had been destroyed in 587 B.C. and this book recounts how the Temple was rebuilt. Translating “rebuild” here in Cyrus’ edict also suggests that he knew the history of the destruction of the Temple, and this is likely because it was his policy to help returning exiles restore their religious practices.

He is the Lord who dwells in Jerusalem: This clause refers to the belief that the Temple was God’s dwelling on earth. It also identifies the Lord as the God of the Jewish people.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• So then, all of you who worship this God, the Lord who lives in Jerusalem, may leave and go to the land of Judah. There you may build in the city of Jerusalem a Temple to the Lord of Israel. And may your Lord be with you.

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.