Women give birth to the king and to every people that rules over sea and land: The Greek phrase for every people can mean “all his [the king’s] people,” with the meaning that it is the Persians who rule over sea and land. This makes better sense than saying that women have given birth to the king and every nation that rules over the earth. What about nations that are ruled over? Did women not give birth to them also? Here Zerubbabel says that as strong as the Persian Kingdom is, no one in it, not even the king himself, would exist unless women had given them birth. Revised English Bible renders this verse well, saying “The king and all his people, lords over land and sea, were born of women.” Here are other possible models:

• The king and all his people, the rulers of land and sea, were brought into this world by women.

• Women gave birth to the king and all his people, the rulers of land and sea.

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.