For we are bondmen: The Hebrew text has only three words here. They are the connective rendered For, the noun translated bondmen, and the independent first person plural pronoun. There is no verb and no explicit marker to indicate whether the time reference is the present or the past. Good News Translation (“We were slaves”) interprets it to refer to the past (also Bible en français courant, Parole de Vie). However, it is preferable to take it as a reference to the Jews’ present situation at that time, as in Revised Standard Version and in most other versions (so Contemporary English Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New International Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Revised Standard Version uses the archaic English word bondmen to express the meaning of servitude or slavery. New Jerusalem Bible is better with “For we are slaves.”
Yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage …: While affirming the slavery of the Jews, Ezra declares that they have not been abandoned in that state by their God. Indeed, he goes on to proclaim that God has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia (see Ezra 7.28). The Hebrew can be understood to refer either to the love of God for the Jews witnessed by the kings of Persia (Revised Standard Version) or to the favor extended to them by the kings of Persia through the prompting of God (Good News Translation). The Hebrew word chesed, which is translated steadfast love, is usually associated with God (see the comments at Ezra 3.11), so the understanding of Revised Standard Version is favored.
The relationship between the first clause in the verse and the remainder of the sentence must be made clear by the use of appropriate conjunctions. Good News Translation says “We were slaves, but you did not leave us….” New International Version renders it “Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us….” Revised English Bible translates “For slaves we are; nevertheless our God has not forsaken us….”
Grant us some reviving corresponds to “grant us a little reviving” in verse 8 above.
To set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem: These are the results of God’s steadfast love. They are cited similarly to the way that the results of his “favor” were cited in the previous verse. God’s steadfast love stands in stark contrast to the people’s “faithlessness” (verses 2, 4 above). The four elements of their suffering (verse 7 above) are balanced here by three positive results of God’s steadfast love. The exiles are allowed to set up the house of our God (see Ezra 6.3) and to repair its ruins, and God has given them protection in Judea and Jerusalem. Many versions retain the three separate results as in Revised Standard Version, while Good News Translation combines the first two results (also Contemporary English Version, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The Hebrew is ambiguous whether it is God (Revised Standard Version, New International Version) or the kings of Persia (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible) who grant these things. The connection of steadfast love with God favors the interpretation of the Revised Standard Version.
Protection is literally “a wall” in Hebrew and some commentators have proposed that this refers to the wall built around Jerusalem by Nehemiah. However, this is not the word for a city wall but rather for a stone fence around a vineyard or between two properties. It is probably used here metaphorically to refer to the protection given by the Persian government. Revised English Bible describes it as “a wall of defence for Judah and Jerusalem,” while New Jerusalem Bible says “a refuge in Judah and in Jerusalem.”
The word translated Judea here by Revised Standard Version is rendered “Judah” elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah. It should be translated “Judah” to be consistent.
Revised Standard Version follows the Hebrew syntax for this verse by translating it as one sentence (also New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible), while Good News Translation restructures the verse as two sentences (also New International Version, Bible en français courant, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Contemporary English Version has four sentences. As usual, translators should use natural syntax for clarity in their own languages.
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 .