Discovery BoxEzra 5:8 
Context5:8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones, 1 and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands.
Ezra 5:11
Context5:11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king 2 of Israel built it and completed it.
Ezra 6:14
Context6:14 The elders of the Jews continued building and prospering, while at the same time 3 Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo continued prophesying. They built and brought it to completion by the command of the God of Israel and by the command of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Ezra 10:3
Context10:3 Therefore let us enact 4 a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, 5 and that of those who respect 6 the commandments of our God. And let it be done according to the law.
Ezra 10:13
Context10:13 However, the people are numerous and it is the rainy season. 7 We are unable to stand here outside. Furthermore, this business cannot be resolved in a day or two, for we have sinned greatly in this matter.
1 tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.
2 sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.
3 tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.
4 tn Heb “cut.”
5 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.
6 tn Heb “who tremble at”; NAB, NIV “who fear.”
7 tn Heb “the time [is] rain showers.”
