Ezra 7:25

7:25 “Now you, Ezra, in keeping with the wisdom of your God which you possess, ¹  appoint judges ²  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 ³  a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, ⁴  and that of those who respect ⁵  the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.

---

¹ tn Aram “in your hand.”

² tc For the MT reading שָׁפְטִין (shoftim, “judges”) the LXX uses the noun γραμματεῖς (grammatei", “scribes”).

³ tn Heb “cut.”

⁴ 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.

⁵ tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”