Ezra 6:8

6:8 “I also hereby issue orders as to what you are to do with those elders of the Jews in order to rebuild this temple of God. From the royal treasury, from the taxes of Trans-Euphrates the complete costs are to be given to these men, so that there may be no interruption of the work.¹

Ezra 9:1

A Prayer of Ezra

9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents² who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

Ezra 9:11

9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words:³ ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents!⁴ With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness.

Ezra 10:3

10:3 Therefore let us enact⁵ a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord,⁶ and that of those who respect⁷ the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

¹tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

²tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.” So also in v. 2.

³tn Heb “through your servants the prophets, saying.”

⁴tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

⁵tn Heb “cut.”

⁶tn 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.

⁷tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”