Then Ezra arose: The Hebrew verb means literally “to arise,” and many translations render this verb literally as Revised Standard Version has done. New Jerusalem Bible says “Then Ezra stood up,” and Revised English Bible says “Ezra got up.” However, this verb is often used to indicate that action was begun or was started without delay (see Ezra 1.5). Good News Translation therefore says “So Ezra began”; that is, Ezra immediately administered the oath of the covenant. Translators are advised to follow this interpretation.

Made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take oath that they would do so as had been said: This does not mean that Ezra forced them to take oath, but that he performed the oath ritual in connection with the promise they had made. The text does not specify what form the oath took. The Hebrew verb for made … take oath has a causative meaning, which is “to cause to swear,” and many languages will use a causative verb form in this context. The meaning is not that they swore in the sense of taking God’s name in vain. It is rather taking an oath over something. They promised that they would do as had been said. The oath ritual often included a curse that would fall upon the person who took the oath if it was not carried out (see Neh 5.12-13). Shecaniah had referred to this oath as a covenant; that is, “Ezra made them swear that they would do what Shecaniah had said they should do” (so Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant).

Leading may be taken to apply to only the priests (New Revised Standard Version), or it may apply to the priests and the Levites (Revised Standard Version, New International Version), or it may be taken to apply to the priests, the Levites, and the people (Good News Translation). According to the third interpretation, it was only the leaders who took the oath, both of the clergy and the laity (also Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). For leading priests, see Ezra 8.24.

The Hebrew text can be understood to refer to “Levitical priests” (Hebrew Old Testament Text Project with a B rating) or to priests and Levites (all modern translations) and this latter translation is to be preferred.

All Israel means “all the people of Israel” or “the rest of the people” (Good News Translation). See Ezra 2.70.

So they took the oath: The text says literally “and they swore.” Good News Translation restructures to avoid the repetition about taking the oath of the original text (also Contemporary English Version). Most translations, however, retain the repetition that is a confirmation and a conclusion to Ezra’s action.

There are several implied quotations in this account of Ezra’s actions. It is not specified how Ezra made the people take the oath, whether by giving instructions or by leading them in the performance of an oath-taking rite. Taking the oath here involves making a promise. The promise is an offer to do something, namely, to do what Shecaniah had proposed earlier. The seriousness of the commitment to fulfill the promise is attested by an oath. An oath called upon divine authority or a power greater than oneself as a witness to the promise. An oath was sometimes accomplished by an invocation, by a gesture, such as raising one’s hand toward God, or by a sacrifice. Here it is not said what form of oath was used. The translator will need to restructure the verse as necessary in order to make clear the chronological sequence of actions referred to. The translator must describe the taking of the oath in a manner that is understandable to the reader or listener without contradicting the very limited information that is given in the text.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .