And yet he is only one man!: This clause may be connected to the following one as follows “The king is only one man, but…” (Contemporary English Version). However, Good News Bible‘s model beginning with the connector “Although” is also possible.

If he tells them to kill, they kill may be rendered “If he tells his soldiers to kill people, they do it.”

If he tells them to release, they release: In this context the verb release refers to releasing prisoners taken in battle, as opposed to killing them. So we may translate “When he tells them to release prisoners, they do it.”

If he tells them to attack, they attack may be expressed as “When he tells his soldiers to attack the enemy, they do it.”

If he tells them to lay waste, they lay waste: The Greek verb translated lay waste means to destroy, to make something into a ruin. So we may render this sentence as “When he tells them to destroy something, they do it.”

If he tells them to build, they build may be translated “When he tells them to build something, they do it.”

If he tells them to cut down, they cut down: Here the Greek verb for cut down probably refers to destroying farm crops. It may refer to destroying other things as well, but it does not refer to harvesting crops.

If he tells them to plant, they plant: Here the Greek verb for plant refers to planting crops.

Here is an alternative model for verses 7-9:

• 7 The king is only one man, but when he tells his soldiers to kill people, they do it. When he tells them to release prisoners, they do it. 8 When he tells them to attack [the enemy], they do it. When he tells them to destroy something, they do it. When he tells them to build something, they do it. 9 When he tells them to cut something down, they do it. And when he tells people to plant crops, they do it.

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.