And thou didst lead him into the garden which thy right hand had planted before the earth appeared: Compare Gen 2.8. Good News Bible specifies that the garden is “the Garden of Eden,” which is helpful. Thy right hand refers to God’s special care in his work and the perfection with which it is done. We may say that God “carefully” planted the garden. An ancient Jewish idea is reflected here that the Garden of Eden was one of seven things that God created before he created the world (the others being the Torah, repentance, Gehenna [that is, hell], the Throne of Glory, the Temple, and the Messiah). This idea comes from Gen 2.8, where the Hebrew of the phrase usually translated “in the east” can be interpreted to mean “from the beginning.” An alternative model for this verse is:

• Then you brought him into the garden [or, Garden of Eden], which you had carefully planted before you even made the earth.

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.