Discovery BoxEzra 5:17 
Context5:17 “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.”
Ezra 10:3
Context10:3 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 “if upon the king it is good.”
2 tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”
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.”
