Discovery BoxEzra 6:8 
Context6:8 “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 6:11
Context6:11 “I hereby give orders that if anyone changes this directive a beam is to be pulled out from his house and he is to be raised up and impaled 2 on it, and his house is to be reduced 3 to a rubbish heap 4 for this indiscretion. 5
1 tn The words “of the work” are not in the Aramaic, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
2 sn The practice referred to in v. 11 has been understood in various ways: hanging (cf. 1 Esd 6:32 and KJV); flogging (cf. NEB, NLT); impalement (BDB 1091 s.v. זְקַף; HALOT 1914 s.v. מחא hitpe; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV). The latter seems the most likely.
3 tn Aram “made.”
4 tn Aram “a dunghill.”
5 tn Aram “for this.”
