translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EZR

label: NET translator note

text: Aram “the house of the archives.”


label: NET textual note

text: The translation reads בִירְתָא ( birta ’, citadel”) rather than the reading בְּבִירְתָא ( bÿvireta ’, “in the citadel”) found in the MT. The MT probably experienced dittography here.


text: Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”


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


text: Aram “raised”; or perhaps “retained” (so NASB; cf. NLT), referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.


text: The Syriac Peshitta reads “twenty cubits” here, a measurement probably derived from dimensions given elsewhere for Solomon’s temple. According to 1 Kgs 6:2 the dimensions of the Solomonic temple were as follows: length, 60 cubits; width, 20 cubits; height, 30 cubits. Since one would expect the dimensions cited in Ezra 6:3 to correspond to those of Solomon’s temple, it is odd that no dimension for length is provided. The Syriac has apparently harmonized the width dimension provided here (“twenty cubits”) to that given in 1 Kgs 6:2 .


text: Aram “stones of rolling.”


text: The translation follows the LXX reading חַד ( khad , “one”) rather than the MT חֲדַת ( khadat , “new”). If the MT reading “new” is understood to mean freshly cut timber that has not yet been seasoned it would seem to be an odd choice for construction material.


text: Aram “let be given.”


text: Aram “house.”


text: For the MT reading “the work on this temple of God” the LXX reads “the servant of the Lord Zurababel” [= Zerubbabel].


text: The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Aram “according to the word of.”


text: Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”


text: Aram “made.”


text: Aram “a dunghill.”


text: Aram “for this.”


text: Aram “people.”


text: Aram “who sends forth his hand.”


text: Aram “sent.”


text: Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.


text: Aram “sons of.”


text: Aram “sons of the exile.”


text: Aram “according to the writing of.”


text: Heb “the sons of the exile.” So also in v. 20 .


text: Heb “as one.” The expression is best understood as referring to the unity shown by the religious leaders in preparing themselves for the observance of Passover. On the meaning of the Hebrew phrase see DCH 1:182 s.v. אֶחָד 3b. See also HALOT 30 s.v. אֶחָד 5.


text: Heb “brothers.”


text: Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”


text: Heb “heart.”


text: Heb “to strengthen their hands.”