Ezra 3:2

3:2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak ¹  and his priestly colleagues ²  and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his colleagues ³  started to build ⁴  the altar of the God of Israel so they could offer burnt offerings on it as required by ⁵  the law of Moses the man of God.

Ezra 7:6

7:6 This Ezra is the one who came up from Babylon. He was a scribe who was skilled in the law of Moses which the Lord God of Israel had given. The king supplied him with everything he requested, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

Ezra 7:25

7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, ⁶  appoint judges ⁷  and court officials who can arbitrate cases on behalf of all the people who are in Trans-Euphrates who know the laws of your God. Those who do not know this law should be taught.

Ezra 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact ⁸  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ⁹  and that of those who respect ¹⁰  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

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¹ sn Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.

² tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”

³ tn Heb “his brothers.”

⁴ tn Heb “arose and built.”

⁵ tn Heb “written in.” Cf. v. 4.

⁶ tn Aram “in your hand.”

⁷ tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammatei", “scribes”).

⁸ tn Heb “cut.”

⁹ tn 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.

¹⁰ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”