translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EZR

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “with much weeping.”


label: NET textual note

text: The translation reads with the Qere , many medieval Hebrew MSS , the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate עֵילָם (’ elam , “Elam”) rather than the reading עוֹלָם (’ olam , “eternity”) found in the MT.


text: Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18 .


text: Heb “the peoples of the lands.”


text: Heb “upon this.”


text: Heb “cut.”


text: The MT vocalizes this word as a plural, which could be understood as a reference to God. But the context seems to suggest that a human lord is intended. The apparatus of BHS suggests repointing the word as a singular (“my lord”), but this is unnecessary. The plural (“my lords”) can be understood in an honorific sense even when a human being is in view. Most English versions regard this as a reference to Ezra, so the present translation supplies “your” before “counsel” to make this clear.


text: Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”


text: Heb “to do according to this plan.”


text: The translation reads וַיָּלֶן ( vayyalen , “and he stayed”) rather than the reading וַיֵּלֶךְ ( vayyelekh , “and he went”) of the MT. Cf. the LXX.


text: Heb “voice.”


text: Heb “they sent.”


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Heb “the peoples of the land.”


text: Heb “thus according to your word [singular = Qere ] concerning us, to do.”


text: Heb “the time [is] rain showers.”


text: Heb “stand.”


text: Heb “stood.”


text: The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּבְדֵּל לוֹ ( vayyavdel lo , “separated for himself”) rather than the Niphal plural וַיִּבָּדְלוּ ( vayyibbadÿlu , “were separated”) of the MT.


text: Heb “the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name.”


text: Heb “found.”


text: Heb “hand.”


text: The translation reads with many medieval Hebrew MSS and ancient versions וּמִבְּנֵי ( umibbÿne , “and from the sons of”) rather than the reading ubene (“and the sons of”) found in the MT.


text: The name “Bani” appears in both v. 29 and v. 34 . One of these names has probably undergone alteration in the transmission process, but it is not clear exactly where the problem lies or how it should be corrected.


text: The translation reads וּמִבְּנֵי בִנּוּי ( umibbÿney vinnuy , “and from the sons of Binnui”) rather than the reading וּבָנִי וּבִנּוּי ( uvani uvinnuy , “and Bani and Binnui”) of the MT.


text: The final statement in v. 44 is difficult in terms of both its syntax and its meaning. The present translation attempts to make sense of the MT. But the passage may have undergone corruption in the transmission process. One proposal is that the text should be emended to read “and they sent these wives and children away” (cf. NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV).