I will send you help, my servants Isaiah and Jeremiah: In 2 Esd 1.39-40 God says the Jewish prophets of the past will be the leaders of his new people. Here he continues that idea. For my servants, see the comments on 2 Esd 1.32. Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version render this clause as “I will send my servants Isaiah and Jeremiah to help you.”

According to their counsel … may be rendered “They have suggested [or, asked] that…” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

I have consecrated and prepared for you twelve trees loaded with various fruits: Compare Rev 22.2. The twelve trees probably represent the twelve apostles. The idea is that the twelve apostles have assumed the role of leadership once held by the prophets. The verb consecrated (literally “sanctified”) means these trees are holy, that is, set apart for God.

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• I will send my servants Isaiah and Jeremiah to help you. They have asked me to prepare twelve holy trees [or, twelve trees that have been dedicated to me] for you, full of different kinds of fruit, and I have done so.

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.