Was it not I who brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage?: Similar words are found often in the Old Testament (compare Deut 5.6; 6.12; Josh 24.17; Jer 34.13). This is obviously a rhetorical question that implies the answer “Yes.” Some translators may find it better expressed as a statement (so Good News Bible), for example, “I was the one who rescued them from slavery in Egypt.” The house of bondage may be translated “where they were slaves” (Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible). The Israelites were not slaves in the sense of being forced to work without pay, and being the property of someone, but rather they were forced by the Egyptians to do heavy construction work. But at the same time they were provided with food and allowed to live in their homes in Egypt. So in languages where a distinction must be made between “slaves” as owned by someone, and people forced to do hard work, translators may say “where they were forced to do hard labor.”

But they have angered me and despised my counsels: The Latin expression for despised my counsels means the people paid no attention to God’s warnings.

Here is a possible model for this verse:

• I was the one who rescued them from slavery in Egypt, but they have made me angry. I have warned them, but they have paid no attention.

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.