But now: This verse begins with the Hebrew connective conjunction, which has a contrasting meaning here. Through the use of this conjunction and the adverb now, Ezra abruptly shifts from recalling past events to describing the present situation.
For a brief moment: This period of approximately eighty years, which went from the first return of the exiles in the time of Cyrus to the coming of Ezra in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, was in contrast with the preceding century of oppression. Some suggest that this phrase seems to mistakenly imply that the time of God’s grace will not last long. Therefore it should be understood as “suddenly” to indicate the unexpected and unanticipated grace of God. Nouvelle version Segond révisée renders it “in this instant.”
Favor has been shown by the LORD our God: In this part of the prayer recognizing God’s favor to them, Ezra refers to God in the third person. This is a common practice in addressing God in the Old Testament and in prophetic discourse. The speaker may shift from the second person to the third person and back again to the second person while still addressing the same person. Here Ezra shifts from addressing God in the second person to referring to him in the third person. Good News Translation has changed this part into the conventional second person form of prayer, addressing God directly as “you.” At the same time, this part of the prayer is actually intended to impress the community with how much God has done for them even in spite of their sins.
The Hebrew word for favor here occurs only once elsewhere in the Old Testament with a similar sense. In Josh 11.20 it has the meaning of showing “mercy” to the enemy. Here it is used in reference to the favor that God has shown since the first return of the exiles to Jerusalem. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translates this as “grace.” Like Good News Translation, New International Version says that God has been “gracious” (also Revised English Bible). Use of this word here anticipates the mention of chesed (Hebrew for “steadfast love”), which comes in the following verse.
God’s favor had been shown in two ways: to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place.
The Hebrew noun for remnant is derived from a verb that means “to escape.” It could therefore be translated “what had escaped.” Osty-Trinquet and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible translate a remnant as “a remainder of survivors.” Bible en français courant renders it “some survivors” (also Revised English Bible). It was used of those who had escaped from further exile in Babylonia and had returned to Jerusalem, but could also refer to all who survived in Jerusalem after the exile whether or not they actually had been in exile. The theme of the remnant is an important one in Old Testament theology (see Isa 4.2; Ezek 6.8-9). Although the word occurs only four times in the book of Ezra (9.8, 13, 14, 15) and once in Nehemiah (1.2, where Revised Standard Version has “survived”), the concept of the return from captivity is a central theme of the two books. The people are survivors who have come through the judgment of exile with their faith intact.
The Hebrew word for secure hold is literally “nail, stake, tent peg” (see the Revised Standard Version footnote). It was used to refer to a place reached after a long journey. It was also a claim made by nomads to a plot of land. Here it is possibly an allusion to the tabernacle that was moved through the wilderness and finally pitched in Jerusalem. Another allusion may be to the tent peg put in the foundations of early Mesopotamian temples as a sign of the agreement made between the builder and the deity to which the temple was dedicated. The existence of the Temple is seen as a guarantee of the community’s security and stability. For to give us a secure hold, New Revised Standard Version says “[has] given us a stake,” while Revised English Bible has “giving us a foothold.” Good News Translation interprets this to refer to God’s allowing them to “live in safety” in the land that belongs to him (similarly Parole de Vie, Contemporary English Version).
Although the specific reference for his holy place is to the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, the more general reference may be to the city of Jerusalem to which the people had returned. For holy see Ezra 2.63 and 8.28.
The two favors of God were to brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. The phrase brighten our eyes is used metaphorically here to refer to the revival of their spirits (so New Jerusalem Bible). Reviving is literally “giving life” or “sustenance” (New Revised Standard Version). Bondage is from the Hebrew verb “to serve.” Most contemporary English translations use the word “slavery” (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible uses “servitude,” while Osty-Trinquet uses “slavery.” Ezra is referring to the involuntary servitude and subjection of the Jews to the Persians. Only a little sustenance is given in our bondage. This could refer to the fact that only some of the exiles had returned or to the perception that those who had returned from exile were still living under the conditions of exile, and therefore of slavery. Revised English Bible offers a good model for the last part of the verse: “our God has brought light to our eyes again and given us some chance to renew our lives in our slavery.”
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 .