Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 4:29 - 4:30

Yet I have seen him with Apame, the king’s concubine, the daughter of the illustrious Bartacus: The conjunction Yet may be rendered “But” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Although scholars have some theories, no people named Apame or Bartacus are known to have been associated with Darius. The Greek phrase for the illustrious Bartacus could be translated “Bartacus son of Thaumastos,” but we prefer the rendering in Revised Standard Version or Good News Bible (“the famous Bartacus”). It is possible that Zerubbabel (or the narrator) intends the adjective illustrious to be sarcastic. The Greek word for concubine refers to a woman who was a member of a man’s household and with whom he slept, but who was not a legal wife. Concubines had certain legal rights and a recognized place in the Persian society, but were of low social status. Contemporary English Version renders concubine as “wife,” but has the following footnote on it: “This translates a Greek word for a woman who was legally bound to a man, but without the full privileges of a wife.” We would probably be justified in translating the king’s concubine as “one of the king’s harem,” assuming that he had more than one such woman. In some cultures a concubine is thought of as a “minor wife.” So in some languages Apame will be referred to with an honorific, for example, “her excellency Apame.”

She would sit at the king’s right hand and take the crown from the king’s head and put it on her own, and slap the king with her left hand: Zerubbabel describes Apame as a woman who had such an easy relationship with King Darius that she could tease him in public and get by with it. So she must have had a high status in the king’s eyes. The Greek verbs used in this verse form an interesting progression. The verbs rendered sit, take and put are all present participles, subordinate to the main verb translated have seen, and indicating things Zerubbabel has seen Apame do. But slap renders an independent Greek verb. This verb is in the imperfect tense, indicating something Zerubbabel has seen more than once. It is the climax of this chain of verb forms. This woman would dare to do these bold actions, and then, to top it all off, actually strike the king with her left hand! We should not take this to mean that Apame is violent, hitting the king with any force. Everything she does is done to tease the king, making him want her and showing her power over him at the same time. To sit at the king’s right hand would be deliberately sitting down in a place of honor. Slap the king is probably better interpreted as patting him on the cheek. Since she is sitting on the king’s right, she could not use her left hand to hit him with any force. Simply touching the king would be an act of daring, and doing so with the left hand especially so. We may assume that in this society, as in many societies, to use the left hand even to point to a person, let alone touch that person, would be insulting, or at least impudent.

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for verses 29-30. Another possible model is:

• 29 You know that great man Bartacus. His daughter Apame is one of the king’s women [or, minor wives/concubines]. And I have seen her sit down right beside the king, at his right side. 30 Then she took the crown off his head, put it on her own, and patted the king on the cheek with her left hand!

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 5:2 - 5:3

And Darius sent with them a thousand horsemen: The conjunction And may be omitted (so Good News Bible). For King Darius of Persia, see the comments on 1 Esd 2.30. The pronoun them refers to the Jews returning from exile. A thousand horsemen refers to soldiers on horseback. They were the “escort” referred to in 1 Esd 4.47 (compare Neh 2.9).

To take them back to Jerusalem in safety may be rendered “to protect them as they traveled to Jerusalem.” An alternative model for this clause and the previous one is “King Darius sent a thousand horse soldiers to protect the Jews as they traveled to Jerusalem.”

With the music of drums and flutes: It is not clear whether this music was played by musicians in the Jewish caravan going to Jerusalem or whether it was done by a farewell party of fellow Jews in Babylon seeing the travelers on their way. We suggest the latter option (see our model below). Drums are a percussion instrument. At that time a drum was made of an animal skin stretched over a shallow circular, triangular, or square frame. Flutes are wind instruments. A flute consisted of a tube with a series of finger holes used to alter the tone.

And all their brethren were making merry certainly refers to the Jewish population of Babylon who remained there. They celebrated as their fellow Jews left for Jerusalem.

And he made them go up with them means Darius made the horse soldiers go to Jerusalem with the Jews who were returning. This sentence repeats information in verse 2, and does not need to be repeated.

The material in verses 2-3 can be condensed by combining them as follows:

• [King] Darius sent them off on their way to Jerusalem with a thousand soldiers on horseback to protect them on the way. As they left Babylon, the rest of the Jews were in a joyful mood, playing flutes and beating on drums.

• King Darius ordered a thousand horse soldiers to accompany the Jews and protect them as they traveled to Jerusalem. As they were leaving Babylon….

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 5:62

And all the people sounded trumpets: For trumpets see the comments on verse 59. The parallel passage of Ezra 3.11 has no reference to the lay people blowing trumpets, and it is surprising to find it here, since the priests are the ones who had the duty or privilege of sounding them (see Num 10.1-10).

And shouted with a great shout: The shout here was like a cry of victory when a battle is won or a cry of approval when a new king is crowned. There was a sense of victory in being able to begin the rebuilding of the Temple.

Praising the Lord for the erection of the house of the Lord does not mean that the Temple had been completed, only that the work of rebuilding it was under way. Good News Bible offers a good model by saying “praising the Lord because the Temple was being rebuilt.”

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 6:24

Like verses 8-22, we suggest that translators also indent this official letter (verses 24-26), as in Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version (see the comments on 1 Esdras 6.8).

In the first year of the reign of Cyrus: See the comments on verse 17. This phrase may be rendered “In the first year that King Cyrus of Persia ruled over Babylonia.”

King Cyrus ordered the building of the house of the Lord in Jerusalem: In the form and style of an official document, the redundant phrase King Cyrus is used. Some languages may prefer to simply use the pronoun “he” (Contemporary English Version). The house of the Lord is of course the Temple. This clause may be rendered “he ordered the Jews to rebuild the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.”

Where they sacrifice with perpetual fire: According to God’s Law, a fire was to be burning constantly on the altar for sacrifices (see Lev 6.9). At the time of Cyrus’ decree, the altar and the Temple did not exist, so this statement could not be literally true. It is better to say “where they are supposed to keep fire burning constantly for sacrifices.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• “In the first year that Cyrus was king over Persia, including Babylonia, he ordered the Jews to rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, where they must keep a fire constantly burning for sacrifices [or, for offering animals as sacrifices].

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 8:11

Let as many as are so disposed, therefore, depart with you: As many as are so disposed refers to the Jews who desired to go back to their homeland. This clause repeats information in the previous verse, so Contemporary English Version combines verses 10 and 11 (see also the last model below).

As I and the seven friends who are my counselors have decided: The friends of the king were his closest advisers, not simply the people who liked him (compare Est 1.14). They were nobles from the leading families who were authorities in laws and customs. Thus Ezra’s commission did not come only from the king himself, but also from his closest advisers. It came from the highest Persian authorities.

Here are alternative models for this verse:

• So all these people may go with you, as the seven advisers in my council [or, my seven advisers] have agreed with me.

• The seven advisers in my council agree with me that any of the Jews who wish to leave with you may do so.

Here is a model that combines verses 10 and 11:

• I have decided to show special kindness to the Jews. And so, any of them or their priests or Levites in my kingdom may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. My seven trusted friends, who are my closest advisers, agree with me.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 8:60

So the priests and the Levites who took the silver and the gold and the vessels which had been in Jerusalem carried them to the temple of the Lord: This verse anticipates and sums up verses 61-64 which follow in the next subsection, but this presents a logical problem, since it means we have the story about the delivering of the valuables to the Temple twice, here in verse 60 and again in verses 62-64. Contemporary English Version offers a way around this problem by rendering this verse as “The priests and the Levites then took charge of the gifts, so they could take them to the Lord’s temple,” which follows the parallel passage of Ezra 8.30. However, we suggest following Good News Bible, since it is what the Greek text actually says and since in our judgment there is no serious problem created for understanding the narrative as it is in Revised Standard Version.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 9:2

And spent the night there: Ezra stayed overnight in Jehohanan’s room.

And he did not eat bread or drink water: Ezra continued to fast (see 1 Esd 8.73). Here bread means “food” in general, and water refers to any kind of drink. If he was too upset to drink water, he surely would not have indulged in wine. Good News Bible expresses this clause well, saying “He did not eat or drink anything” (similarly Contemporary English Version).

For he was mourning over the great iniquities of the multitude: Ezra refrained from food and drink because he was still upset over the great sins committed by his people.

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• He spent the night there. But he still did not eat or drink anything, because he continued to mourn over the great sins that the people had committed.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.

Translation commentary on 1 Esdras 9:49 - 9:51

Then Attharates said to Ezra the chief priest and reader, and to the Levites who were teaching the multitude, and to all: The Revised Standard Version footnote indicates that the name Attharates can be rendered “the governor.” This is because Attharates is most likely a transliteration into Greek of a Persian title that means “governor.” The author mistook it as a proper name. Compare the parallel passage of Neh 8.9, where “the governor” is mentioned in Hebrew, although he is identified as Nehemiah. We think we are not betraying any translation principle by correcting the author’s error and saying “the governor” (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, New English Bible, Revised English Bible, Myers). For Ezra the chief priest and reader, see verse 39. And to all refers to all the rest of the people who had gathered in Jerusalem. Good News Bible omits this phrase, but it should be kept by saying “to the rest of the crowd” or “to everyone else.”

This day is holy to the Lord: The governor was so moved by the reading of the Law that he declares the day holy. Of course, it was also holy since it was the Festival of Trumpets (see the comments on verse 37b). This clause may be rendered “This day is set apart to honor the Lord,” “This is a special day for the Lord” (Contemporary English Version), or even “This is the Lord’s day.”

They were all weeping as they heard the law: The people were weeping for sorrow, not for joy (compare Neh 8.9), realizing that they had not been living by God’s Law. This clause may be translated “now all the people were crying when they heard the Levites read the Law to them.” It a parenthetical clause that interrupts the governor’s speech, so Revised Standard Version places long dashes around it. It gives background information to explain why the governor said what he did. In many languages it will be better to place this clause earlier in the narrative by combining verses 49-50 (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version; see also the model below).

So go your way may be rendered simply “go home” (Good News Bible).

Eat the fat and drink the sweet: Instead of a day of mourning, it was a day for celebration and rejoicing. The fat refers to the fat of animals, which was considered to be the choicest and best part of the animals to eat. The sweet refers to sweet wine (see Neh 8.10).

And send portions to those who have none: The governor wants the Jews to celebrate the day with a feast, but they must be careful to share with those who do not have the food or wine themselves, since all of them must celebrate this holy day. It was the custom to send portions to one another during festivities (see 1 Sam 1.4).

An alternative model for verses 49-51 is:

• 49-50 The people were now weeping as they listened to the Law. Then the governor said to Ezra, the high priest and scholar, and to the Levites, and to all the other people, “This is a holy day, a day to honor the Lord [or, This day is set apart to honor the Lord]. 51 Go home now. Enjoy a meal of fine meat and sweet wine, but share it with people who don’t have any for themselves.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.