And I told them to go to Iddo, who was the leading man at the place of the treasury: Iddo is otherwise unknown, and so is “Casiphia,” the place where these men were to find Iddo, according to the parallel passage of Ezra 8.17. The author of 1 Esdras interprets the name “Casiphia” as a form of the Hebrew word for treasury, and although he is is probably mistaken, translators must follow him. In this context treasury refers to the place where the Jews kept valuable items that were to be returned to Jerusalem. Contemporary English Version renders the leading man at the place of the treasury as “the official in charge of the treasury.” This verse can joined with verse 46 into one sentence (see our model there).

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.

Revised Standard Version quotes the words of the prophets in direct speech (verses 83-85). These words are a quotation within the quotation of Ezra’s prayer. Revised Standard Version marks them by single opening and closing quotation marks. Good News Bible and Contemporary English Version avoid two levels of quotation by restating the prophets’ words as an indirect quotation. Translators should use the form of quotation that is appropriate for this narrative in the receptor culture.

The land which you are entering: The original context of this expression is the time when the people of Israel were about to enter the promised land of Canaan after their delivery and exodus from Egypt (see Deut 4.1). However, translators should not identify the land.

To take possession of it: The promise given to their ancestors was that they would possess the land and it would become theirs (see Deut 1.8). Translators should use a verb here that is appropriate for taking possession of land in contrast with possessing objects. Many languages have expressions that are equivalent to the English verb “occupy” (Good News Bible).

Is a land polluted with the pollution of the aliens of the land: The Greek verb for polluted and the noun for pollution come from the same root. Here these words refer figuratively to the defilement of Canaan caused by the pagan lifestyle of the people who lived there. These Gentiles lived and worshiped in ways that were considered disgusting to observant Jews.

And they have filled it with their uncleanness means the Gentiles did many disgusting things in Canaan. This clause repeats the idea in the previous one for emphasis. For the Greek word rendered uncleanness, see the comments on verse 69, where it is translated “pollutions.”

Alternative models that use indirect speech for this verse are:

• the land that you were giving us was full of sinful heathens who never stopped doing disgusting things.

• the land that we were to conquer was full of heathens who filled it with all their disgusting acts.

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.

Of the temple singers: Eliashib and Zaccur: For temple singers, see the comments on 1 Esd 1.15-16. They are the third category of men who had to send their foreign wives away. Instead of Zaccur, some Greek manuscripts have the name “Bacchurus” (Good News Bible). We prefer the name Zaccur here. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Among the Temple musicians: Eliashib and Zaccur.

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.

I pitied your groanings may be rendered “I took pity on you [or, felt sorry for you] when I heard you groaning [or, moaning]” or “You were so miserable that I took pity on you.”

And gave you manna for food: Manna was the food that God provided for the Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness. Translators should refer to their translation of this term in Exo 16.14-35 and Num 11.7-9. For food may be translated “to eat.”

You ate the bread of angels: Manna is referred to as the bread of angels in Psa 78.25 and Wis 16.20. Angels are God’s messengers from heaven. Translators will have probably already struggled with the translation of this term both in the Old Testament (for example, Gen 16.7; 21.17) and the New Testament (for example, Matt 1.20; Luke 1.11; Acts 10.3). This clause may be translated “You ate the food that angels eat.”

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 verses 13-14 the Lord addresses his new people directly through Ezra. The pronouns you and your refer to them. Some languages may prefer to make this clear by beginning this verse with “I, the Lord, say to them.”

Ask and you will receive: Compare John 16.24. The rest of this verse makes it clear what the people should request. They should ask to receive their kingdom soon. We suggest placing this sentence near the end of the verse (see the model below). It may be rendered “Ask for this, and it will be yours” or “… and I will give it to you.”

Pray that your days may be few, that they may be shortened: Compare Matt 24.22; Mark 13.20. Your days refers to the length of time between the present and the time when Jerusalem will be given to the new people (verse 10). That you days may be few and that they may be shortened say the same thing, so translators may combine these two clauses by saying “Pray that you will not have to wait long [or, for a long time]” or “Pray that you will only have to wait for a short time.”

The kingdom is already prepared for you: Compare Matt 25.35. The kingdom refers to the kingdom of Jerusalem (verse 10). This clause may be translated “The kingdom is ready and waiting for you” or “I have already prepared the kingdom for you.”

Watch! may be rendered “Stay alert!” Compare Mark 13.37.

Here are alternative models for this verse:

• Pray that you will not have to wait long, because the kingdom is ready and waiting for you. Ask for this, and it will be yours. Stay alert!

• Pray that you will only have to wait for a short time. I have already prepared the kingdom for you. Ask me to give it to you, and it will be yours. Stay alert!

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.

He answered and said to me may be rendered simply “He answered.” See the comments on verse 45.

He is the Son of God, whom they confessed in the world: The writer here is obviously a Christian, since he identifies the tall young man as Christ, the Son of God.

So I began to praise those who had stood valiantly for the name of the Lord: The name of the Lord refers to the Lord himself, so Good News Bible says simply “the Lord.”

Good News Bible provides a good 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.

Now therefore weigh in a balance our iniquities and those of the inhabitants of the world: Now therefore introduces a conclusion. Good News Bible says “Now then.” In this sentence Ezra uses the image of a balance scale, in which an object to be weighed is placed on one side and measured against a known weight on the other. Ezra challenges God to put Israel’s sins on one side and those of the other nations on the other side, and see whose sins are heavier (compare Job 31.6; Psa 62.9).

And so it will be found which way the turn of the scale will incline: If God does this, it will be clear that the sins of the rest of the world are heavier.

Good News Bible provides a helpful model for this verse. However, translators who find the imagery of the balance scale too difficult may find Contemporary English Version more useful. It abandons the metaphor as follows:

• Compare our sins to those of foreigners, and you will see that foreigners are much more wicked.

In Babylonia it was the Jews who were the foreigners. Ezra was in exile with them there as he prays. So it would be better to say “other nations” instead of “foreigners.”

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.

Then I answered and said: In this verse Ezra is impatient with Uriel, and presses him for clearer answers. The verb answered is not appropriate here, since Uriel has not asked anything. He responds to what the angel has said by asking two questions, so this quote frame is better rendered “I then said” or “I then asked the angel.”

How long and when will these things be?: Revised Standard Version‘s footnote here points to an unclear part in the Latin text. It would be good to recognize this textual problem in a footnote. This question may be translated “How long will it be until these things happen?” or even “How long must we wait before these things happen?” (Contemporary English Version).

Why are our years few and evil?: In this context the Latin word for evil means “miserable” or “full of sorrow.” We may render this clause as one or two questions (see the model below). Like Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version has one question: “Why are our lives so short and miserable?”

Here is an alternative model for this verse:

• I then said, “How long* will it be until these things happen? Why do we live so short a time? Why are our lives so miserable?”
* Some ancient translations: How long; Latin unclear.

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.