Three reasons are given here not to carry out Ezra’s instructions that same day: 1) it will take too long with such a large crowd, 2) it is too cold to stand for a long time in the open, and 3) the cases to be decided are complex. As mentioned in the discussion on the previous verse, Good News Bible breaks the speech of the Jewish assembly here by beginning this verse with “But they added,” which we recommend.

But the multitude is great and it is winter, and we are not able to stand in the open air may be rendered “There are too many people. It is winter, and we are very cold standing out here in the open [or, outside].”

This is not a work we can do in one day or two: The work refers to making a permanent break with their non-Jewish wives and the children of these wives.

For we have sinned too much in these things: Good News Bible renders this clause as “since so many of us are involved in this sin” (similarly Contemporary English Version), which is almost identical to Good News Bible‘s rendering in the parallel passage of Ezra 10.13. However, this rendering does not seem to be the plain meaning of the Greek text here. We think Revised Standard Version is closer to the Greek, which may be translated “because the sin we have committed involves some complicated matters.” What requires more time is the fact that complex family relationships are involved. There will be emotional separations but also the division of property. We believe the Greek text support this sense.

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• But they added, “There are a lot of people here, and it’s winter. We can’t [or, It’s too cold to] stand around in the open like this. The sin that we have committed involves some complicated matters, so we can’t work everything out in a day or two.

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.