For at that time the Most High performed signs for them, and stopped the channels of the river until they had passed over: This verse recalls the miracles of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Channels refers to the flow of the river, or more specifically, to the riverbed through which the water flows. Translators who find this idea difficult will be able to omit the word in translation; for example, stopped the channels of the river may be rendered “stopped the river from flowing.” Here it is clear that the angel Uriel is the speaker since he refers to God in the third person by saying the Most High (see “Translating 2 Esdras,” page 313).

We recommend Good News Bible as a model for verses 43-44. Translators should also study Contemporary English Version‘s model, which is:

• 43 They chose to cross the Euphrates at the most difficult place, 44 so God Most High had to perform amazing miracles and stop the flow of the river until they had safely crossed.

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.

And when you have finished, some things you shall make public, and some you shall deliver in secret to the wise: See verses 6 and 45-46; compare 2 Esd 12.37-38. The notion of a secret knowledge divinely revealed appeared in this book as early as 3.14.

Tomorrow at this hour you shall begin to write: Contemporary English Version says “You should start writing tomorrow at this time.”

An alternative model for this verse is:

• When you have finished writing, I will tell you what parts you should let everyone know about. But other parts you must pass on only to the wise [or, wise people] secretly. Begin the writing tomorrow at this time.”

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.

For there shall be unrest among men …: Compare 2 Esd 5.1-13. The conjunction For may be omitted (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Good News Bible renders this clause as “There will be great political turmoil.” Another possible model is “There will be political unrest.”

Growing strong against one another may be translated “Each group will try to overcome the others.” Some translators my find “political unrest” difficult to translate. If so, they may consider Contemporary English Version‘s model, which combines the first two clauses of this verse as follows: “Groups of people will plot to rule others.” They may also say “Groups of people everywhere will have hearts full of unrest, and will plot to control [or, rule over] others.”

They shall in their might have no respect for their king or the chief of their leaders: The phrase they shall in their might may be expressed as “they will become powerful enough.” Their king or the chief of their leaders refers to anyone who is their legitimate ruler.

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse. Other possible ones are:

• There will be political unrest. Each group will try to overcome the others, and they will be powerful enough to ignore their legitimate rulers.

• Groups of people everywhere will have hearts full of unrest and will plot to control other people. They will be powerful enough to….

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.

As you will do to my chosen people: For my chosen people, see verse 52. Good News Bible renders this clause as “for what you have done to my chosen people.”

For says the Lord, see the comments on verse 52. Here it may be rendered “I, the Lord.” Contemporary English Version omits it.

So God will do to you: Here God is better translated “I” since he is speaking. Good News Bible renders this clause as “I will pay you back.”

And will hand you over to adversities: This figurative expression may be expressed as “I will cause disasters to happen to you.”

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• I, the Lord, will do to you what you have done to my chosen people. I will see that terrible things happen to you.

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.

For out of a city, ten shall be left: Compare Amos 5.3; Matt 24.40-41. The conjunction For may be left implied (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “Only ten people will survive in a city.”

And out of the field, two have hidden themselves in thick groves and clefts in the rocks: Compare Isa 2.10; Rev 6.15-16. The verb phrase shall be left is implied here from the previous clause. The field refers to areas outside of cities or villages, namely, “the countryside” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). Thick groves means “dense forests.” The Latin expression for clefts in the rocks does not exactly mean “caves” (Good News Bible), but it refers to fissures, places in huge rock formations where over time the rock has split (see Oba 3). However, “caves” is a good equivalent, and may be an easier translation to understand. Most English-speaking people certainly do not understand the phrase clefts in the rocks.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• There might be ten people left alive in a whole city, and out in the country [or, outside the cities], there might be several people here and there who have hidden themselves in dense forests or in caves.

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.

What will you do? Or how will you hide your sins before God and his angels?: For angels see 2 Esd 1.19. Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse.

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.

In accordance with the directions of David king of Israel and the magnificence of Solomon his son: This first half of the verse refers to 2 Chr 8.14-15. The directives of David referred to in 2 Chronicles are more general, but here they apply specifically to this Passover occasion. The Levites had to carry out the Passover instructions given by David. The magnificence of Solomon his son may be rendered “the splendid way they were carried out by Solomon his son” (similarly Good News Bible) or “the magnificent way that Solomon his son carried them out.”

Stand in order in the temple according to the groupings of the fathers’ houses of you Levites, who minister before your brethren the people of Israel: The Levites had to position themselves in such a way as to be able to help every fellow Israelite. Your brethren are the people of Israel. This sentence may be expressed as “You Levites, who serve your fellow Israelites, must arrange yourselves in family groups and stand in the Temple” or “You Levites must organize yourselves in family groups and stand in the Temple, where you will serve your fellow Israelites.”

Here are alternative models for verses 4-5:

• 4 Josiah told them, “You are no longer required to carry the Covenant Box from place to place. Simply worship the Lord your God and minister to Israel, his people. Now, get all your families and groups of families ready to observe the Passover 5 according to the directions given by King David of Israel, and in the splendid way they were carried out by his son King Solomon. All you Levites, who serve your fellow Israelites, organize yourselves in family groups and stand in the Temple.

• 4 Josiah told them, “I do not require you any longer to carry God’s Covenant Box from place to place. What you must do is simply worship the heavenly ruler God and minister to his people, the Israelites. Now, get all your families and clans [or, family groups] ready to celebrate the Passover Festival [or, Fiesta], 5 following the directions [or, instructions] that King David of Israel has given to you. You must do them in the splendid way that his son King Solomon performed them. So, all you Levites, who serve your fellow Israelites, arrange yourselves in family groups and stand in the Temple.

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.