Gentlemen, why are not women strong, since they do such things?: For Gentlemen see 1 Esd 3.18. For the rhetorical question here, see the comments on verse 12 and 1 Esd 3.24. An alternative model for this verse is:

• Honorable sirs, since women can do things like this, they must be powerful indeed!”

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.