Ezra 4:19

4:19 So I gave orders, 1  and it was determined 2  that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in 3  rebellion and revolt.

Ezra 5:3

5:3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority 4  to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?” 5 

Ezra 7:11

Artaxerxes Gives Official Endorsement to Ezra’s Mission

7:11 What follows 6  is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priestly scribe. 7  Ezra was 8  a scribe in matters pertaining to the commandments of the Lord and his statutes over Israel:

Ezra 8:36

8:36 Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king’s satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.

1 tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”

2 tn Aram “and they searched and found.”

3 tn Aram “are being done.”

4 tn Aram “who placed to you a command?” So also v. 9.

5 tn The exact meaning of the Aramaic word אֻשַּׁרְנָא (’ussarna’) here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean “wall.” Here it is used in collocation with בַּיְתָא (bayta’, “house” as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ashurru (“wall”) or ashru (“sanctuary”; so BDB). F. Rosenthal, who translates the word “furnishings,” thinks that it probably enters Aramaic from Persian (Grammar, 62-63, §189).

6 tn Heb “this.”

7 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.” So also in v. 21.

8 tn The words “Ezra was” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.