Verses 42-47 recount what Ezra and the people did before Ezra read the Law. Contemporary English Version combines verses 41-47 to give the actual sequence of events. Other languages may find Contemporary English Version‘s model helpful.

Ezra the priest and reader of the law stood on the wooden platform which had been prepared: Calling Ezra the priest and reader of the law so soon after verse 39 may seem redundant, but it is the author’s way of emphasizing the importance of this man. The wooden platform was a raised area large enough for Ezra and the other thirteen men to stand, and tall enough that Ezra could be seen by the crowd as he read from a seated position (see verse 45). Which had been prepared means that it had been constructed especially for this purpose. We may say “that workers had made for this occasion.”

And beside him stood Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamus on his right hand, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah: The men who stood beside Ezra are listed in two separate groups, first those who were beside him on the right side and then those who were on the left side. The important point is that Ezra was in the middle and the men who stood with him were divided into two groups on either side of him. This does not mean that those who stood on one side were more favored than those who stood on the other side. These men seem to be laymen who were community leaders. Their role on the platform is not defined. They evidently were there to give support to Ezra. The significance of there being thirteen men here and thirteen Levites in verse 48 below is not known. Instead of the name Anaiah, which is in the parallel passage of Neh 8.4, the Greek text here has the name “Ananias” (Contemporary English Version). We prefer the spelling Anaiah (see the introductory comments on verses 18-37a for variation in the spellings of names in this chapter).

An alternative model for verses 42-44 is:

• 42 Ezra the priest and scholar of God’s Law was standing on a wooden platform that workers had made for this occasion. 43 Mattathiah, Shema, Anaiah, Azariah, Uriah, Hezekiah, and Baalsamos stood on Ezra’s right, 44 while Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Lothasubus, Nabariah, and Zechariah stood on his left.

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.