But he will stand on the top of Mount Zion: See verses 6-7. For Mount Zion, see the comments on 2 Esd 2.42.

And Zion will come and be made manifest to all people, prepared and built, as you saw the mountain carved out without hands: This is where the interpretation of Ezra’s dream actually begins. Here Zion refers to Jerusalem, the city on Mount Zion (see the comments on 1 Esd 8.81). Zion will come and be made manifest to all people means that the heavenly city of Jerusalem will appear to everyone on earth (compare Rev 21.2). For a built city, see the comments on 2 Esd 5.25 (see also 2 Esd 8.52; 10.27, 42, 44). For carved without hands, see 2Esdras 13.6, and compare Dan 2.34, 45. Since in verse 6 the man from the sea carved the mountain, Good News Bible helpfully translates this phrase as “carved out, but not by human hands.”

We suggest the following model for verses 35-36:

• 35 But he will stand on the top of Mount Zion, 36 and a new Jerusalem will appear, a great city already built, and everyone will see it. This is the mountain you saw in the vision [or, your dream], that was carved, but not by human hands.

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.