The episode here ends very abruptly as the narrative recounts what happened next. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation use the contrastive conjunction But. If there was an implied threat in the questions, there is a delay in taking action. Because of the protection of God, the investigation by the Persian officials did not stop the work on the Temple.

The eye of their God was upon … is an expression indicating God’s watchful care (see, for example, Psa 33.18). It is a good eye, the opposite of the evil eye. It may have been used here in contrast with the “king’s eye,” an expression used for Persian inspectors. Some languages may use a similar expression, such as “their God looked upon them with good eyes.” Good News Translation expresses it in simple language with good connotations by saying “God was watching over….” This is their God, the God of Israel, the God that the people of Israel worshiped.

The leaders of the community are referred to as elders here in the book of Ezra for the first time. The reference to the elders puts the emphasis on the community as responsible for the building of the Temple.

They did not stop them: The third person plural pronoun they refers to the Persian officials and it may be necessary to make this explicit. Good News Translation restructures the verse and makes information explicit that is necessary for clear understanding, and many translators may choose to follow its example.

Report is the same word as “edict” or “decree” used elsewhere (see Ezra 6.11), but here it is interpreted as referring to what they would write to King Darius. This would be a report that would include the full details of all that was happening. They would then wait for his answer or “official reply” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible) before taking action.

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 .