5:17 “Now if the king is so inclined, 1 let a search be conducted in the royal archives 2 there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”
8:18 Due to the fact that the good hand of our God was on us, they brought us a skilled man, from the descendants of Mahli the son of Levi son of Israel. This man was Sherebiah, 3 who was accompanied by his sons and brothers, 4 18 men,
1 tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”
2 tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”
3 tn Heb “and Sherebiah.” The words “this man was” are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
4 tn Or “relatives” (so CEV; NRSV “kin”); also in v. 19.