I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God: All the valuables were assessed according to weight and handed over to those taking them to Jerusalem. An inventory by weight was to be made to the authorities in Jerusalem when they were delivered. The silver and the gold and the vessels constitute the offering that was given as gifts for the Temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 7.15-16). The translator will need to use an appropriate expression for measuring by weight. “To weigh something out to someone” means to measure an amount or a quantity and give it or entrust it to someone, as is made explicit in Good News Translation. For our God, see verse 17 above.

The king, his counselors (see Ezra 7.14), his lords and all Israel there present gave these gifts for the Temple. The Hebrew word for lords is the same as for “officials” in verse 20 and refers to officials of the king (Good News Translation). In some languages this will be “the great ones” or “the big people” of the king. All Israel is an expression that means “all the people of Israel,” but it is restricted by the words there present; that is, the Israelites who were present at that time and place had also given gifts. These words should not be omitted as they are in Good News Translation.

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 .