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

In the first year of Cyrus as king of the Persians …: This expression is ambiguous. Cyrus began ruling as the first king of Persia in 559 B.C.; but as the Good News Bible footnote indicates, he took control of Babylon only in 539 B.C. So the meaning here seems to be “In the first year that King Cyrus of Persia ruled over the whole empire, including Babylonia.” The first year does not refer to his first year as king of Persia, but to his first year as emperor of the Babylonian Empire. A helpful model for this whole phrase is “In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor of Babylonia” (similarly Good News Bible). Good News Bible uses “emperor” instead of king. Traditionally English uses king and kingdom to refer to a particular geographical area ruled by a particular king, but uses “emperor” and “empire” when that ruler rules over many lands other than his own. For this reason Good News Bible uses the latter terms. If a language makes that distinction, translators should take advantage of it by following Good News Bible. Some languages will have to use “high king” or “high chief” for “emperor.” But for the sake of simplicity, we will mostly use the terms “king” and “kingdom.” For the Persians, see the comments on 1 Esd 1.57.

That the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished: The Lord used Cyrus to fulfil the promise he had made through his prophet Jeremiah that the Jews would be allowed to return to their homeland after seventy years (see Jer 29.10; 2 Chr 36.21). After Cyrus defeated the Babylonians, the Jews and other peoples who had been taken captive by the Babylonians had an opportunity to return home. If necessary, Jeremiah may be identified as a “prophet” (Good News Bible). This clause introduces verse 2, which says the Lord led Cyrus to make a proclamation releasing the Jews from their exile. It does not refer to Cyrus being made king of Persia. So a possible model for it is “the Lord made the message spoken by his messenger [or, prophet] Jeremiah come true” (similarly Good News Bible).

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians means the Lord acted within the spirit of Cyrus in such a way that the king acted as God wanted him to act. Here he caused him to make the proclamation for releasing the Jews. Good News Bible renders stirred up the spirit of Cyrus as “prompted Cyrus.” The repetition of Cyrus as king of the Persians may be omitted if it is unnatural. This repeated phrase contributes to the courtly, formal style of the narrative, but adds nothing to the meaning.

And he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: King Cyrus spoke his orders and then ordered it written. Probably what happened is that the king called in his scribes and told them what he wanted the content of the proclamation to be; the scribes then wrote it down. In the Persian Kingdom royal messages were communicated through heralds who proclaimed the messages orally to the people. They also were written as official royal documents. This proclamation was probably written in Aramaic, the official language of the Persian Empire.

Since the next verse begins immediately with the text of the proclamation, translators may wish to add a line to the end of the verses 1-2 as follows:

• 1 In the first year that King Cyrus of Persia ruled over the whole empire, including Babylonia, the Lord made the words that he had spoken through his messenger Jeremiah come true. 2 He prompted Cyrus to send a written decree [or, proclamation] throughout his whole kingdom [or, through all of Persia] and have it read aloud. Here is what it said:….

• 1 In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor of Babylonia, the Lord made the words of the prophet Jeremiah come true. 2 He led Cyrus to have a written decree read aloud throughout his whole kingdom. Here is what it said:….

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 3:9

And said: Good News Bible places this quote frame in the previous verse, as in the Greek text. Good News Bible renders it “They said to one another.” Some languages may prefer indirect speech here, as in verses 5-7 (see the comments on 1 Esdras 3.4).

When the king wakes, they will give him the writing: Somehow the translator must make it clear that the three bodyguards are not going to give the king the writing, that is, their three written messages. The pronoun they refers to the king’s servants, which some languages will need to make explicit (see the model below). They will find the messages and give them to the king. Good News Bible uses the passive expression “the statements will be given to him” (similarly Contemporary English Version), but in many languages it will not be possible to use this model.

And to the one whose statement the king and the three nobles of Persia judge to be wisest the victory shall be given according to what is written: This is the first time we learn that other people will join the king to act as judges. The three nobles of Persia must refer to three men closest to the king. This phrase may be rendered “the three leading officials of Persia” (Good News Bible) or “the three highest Persian officials.” Est 1.14 names seven such men, but the Greek text here mentions only three. The victory shall be given according to what is written refers to the proposed prizes of the bodyguards (see verses 6-7 and 1 Esd 4.42).

Here is an alternative model for this verse, one that uses indirect speech:

• Their idea was that when the king woke up, his servants would give him the messages. Then the king and the three highest Persian officials would decide who [or, which of the three guards] gave the wisest answer. That man would then receive the rewards they had described in writing.

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 4:21

With his wife he ends his days, with no thought of his father or his mother or his country: He ends his days means he comes to the end of his life. Good News Bible provides a good model for this verse, but we may also consider Contemporary English Version, which says:

• He will spend the rest of his life with her, without ever thinking of his father or mother or country.

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 4:57

And he sent back from Babylon all the vessels which Cyrus had set apart; everything that Cyrus had ordered to be done, he also commanded to be done and to be sent to Jerusalem: This verse appears at first not to be part of the content of the letters of verse 48, but a resumption of the narrative. However, if the sacred objects Cyrus had ordered to be returned were in fact to be returned, Darius would have to order it. So it is appropriate to work this item into the list of things ordered by Darius in the letters mentioned in verse 48. Compare verse 44, where it is mentioned that Cyrus, when destroying Babylon, saved the holy objects of the Jewish Temple, with the intention of returning them.

Here is a model for verses 48-57:

• 48 The king also sent letters to the governors of the province of Phoenicia and Southwest Syria, and to those in Lebanon. Here are the instructions he gave in these letters:
The officials were to provide Zerubbabel with wood from the cedar forests in Lebanon, and help him rebuild Jerusalem. 49 No administrator, governor, or treasurer [or, No royal official] was to interfere with the freedom of the Jews traveling across his kingdom to Judah. No one had the authority to force their way into a Jewish home. 50 The Jews of Judah would not have to pay taxes. Idumeans [or, Edomites] who had been living in towns in Judah had to leave [those towns]. 51 Local officials were to provide 680 kilograms [1,500 pounds] of silver each year for the rebuilding of the Temple until it was finished. 52 In addition, the officials had to provide another 340 kilograms [750 pounds] of silver each year for the seventeen offerings that were required to be burned whole on the altar every day [or, that the Jews had to sacrifice on the altar each day]. 53 All the Jews who left Babylonia to rebuild the city of Jerusalem would be free persons, as would their descendants. This applied as well to all the priests making the journey. 54-55 Until the Temple was finished and Jerusalem fully rebuilt, the royal treasury had to provide for the priests and Levites, including the costs of the special garments they wore when performing their duties. 56 The men who guarded the city while the work was going on were to be paid [or, receive pay], and also be given [or, receive] some land. 57 All the sacred vessels that King Cyrus had set aside when he destroyed Babylon were to be returned to the land of Judah. Everything that Cyrus had ordered to be done concerning the return of the Jews was to be carried out.

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 5:53

And all who had made any vow to God began to offer sacrifices to God, from the new moon of the seventh month …: This verse indicates that religious ceremonies requiring only an altar began as early as the seventh month, even though work on the Temple building had not begun. Verse 47 does not say that work on the altar began on the first day of the month, but that is the implication. We do not know how long it may have taken to get the altar ready for use, only that it was being used by the fifteenth day of the month, when the Festival of Shelters began. This verse, however, seems to imply that voluntary sacrifices made to fulfil individual vows (as opposed to sacrifices required by the Law for certain times) began as early as the first day of the month. The problem is even stronger in the parallel passage of Ezra 3.6, where it is said that burnt offerings were made on the first day of the seventh month. The Greek text can be interpreted in such a way (by changing the punctuation) as to eliminate the problem: it can mean that anyone who had made a special vow to God since the first day of the month was able to fulfil the vow by making the sacrifice after the normal sacrificial procedure was set up. Since the author specifically mentions votive sacrifices here rather than the burnt offerings of Ezra 3.6, it is quite possible that this is his attempt to resolve the difficulty in the Ezra text. If so, translators should allow him to do so, and we suggest this sense in our first model below. Translators who distrust this solution may follow Good News Bible‘s model (so also second model below, which is based on Contemporary English Version).

All who had made any vow to God refers to people who made a strong promise to God to bring an offering to him (see, for example, Lev 7.16 and Num 15.3). This clause may be rendered “All those who had made strong [or, sacred/special] promises to God.” From the first new moon of the seventh month may be translated simply “on the first day of the seventh month” (Good News Bible).

Though the temple of God was not yet built: Some languages may prefer to begin the verse with this clause (so Good News Bible).

Here are two possible models for this verse:

• People who had made special promises to God since the first day of the seventh month then began to offer their sacrifices, even though God’s Temple had not yet been rebuilt.

• The people had not yet rebuilt the Temple. But from that day, the first day of the seventh month, all those people who made special promises to God offered their sacrifices on the altar.

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 6:17

But in the first year that Cyrus reigned over the country of Babylonia: The contrastive conjunction But draws attention to the change in events. Cyrus was the Persian emperor, but he conquered the Babylonians (see the comments on 1 Esd 2.1-2). The first half of this verse may be rendered “In the first year that Cyrus of Persia was emperor of Babylonia” (similarly Good News Bible).

King Cyrus wrote that this house should be rebuilt may be translated “he gave written orders that this Temple should be rebuilt.” See 1 Esd 2.3-7 for the king’s decree to rebuild the Temple.

Some translators may wish to reorder this verse as follows:

• But King Cyrus gave written orders that this Temple should be rebuilt. He did this in the [very] first year that he ruled over Babylonia.

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 8:4

And the king showed him honor: The conjunction and may be omitted (so Good News Bible). The king is Artaxerxes. Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “The king respected Ezra,” and Good News Bible has “The emperor had a high regard for him.”

For he found favor before the king in all his requests means the king was pleased with Ezra, so pleased that he gave him everything he asked for. The conjunction for is better rendered “and” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version) in this context.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• King Artaxerxes was pleased with Ezra and honored him by giving him everything he asked for.

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 8:52

For we had said to the king: The connector for (“because” in Good News Bible) introduces the reason why Ezra did not ask for an escort from the king. Some languages may prefer to omit this connector by rendering this quote frame as “We had told the king.” The pronoun we refers to Ezra and his group. Good News Bible changes this pronoun to “I” since Ezra was the spokesman for the group.

The power of our Lord will be with those who seek him, and will support them in every way: This quotation does not refer specifically to the Lord being with the exiles on their way back to Judah. Ezra is recalling that the powerful God of the Jews would give support to anyone who would seek him, that is, put their trust in him. Since this quotation is short, it is convenient to translate it as indirect speech (so Good News Bible). Translators who cannot do this or who find it awkward may of course use direct speech.

Here are possible models for this verse:

• We [or, I] had said to the king, ‘Our powerful Lord will be with all those people who trust in him. He will help them in every way.’

• We [Jews] had told the king that our mighty Lord would always be with those who put their trust in him. He would help them in every way.

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.