And all the people sounded trumpets: For trumpets see the comments on verse 59. The parallel passage of Ezra 3.11 has no reference to the lay people blowing trumpets, and it is surprising to find it here, since the priests are the ones who had the duty or privilege of sounding them (see Num 10.1-10).

And shouted with a great shout: The shout here was like a cry of victory when a battle is won or a cry of approval when a new king is crowned. There was a sense of victory in being able to begin the rebuilding of the Temple.

Praising the Lord for the erection of the house of the Lord does not mean that the Temple had been completed, only that the work of rebuilding it was under way. Good News Bible offers a good model by saying “praising the Lord because the Temple was being rebuilt.”

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.