Discovery BoxEzra 7:23 
Context7:23 Everything that the God of heaven has required should be precisely done for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should there be wrath 1 against the empire of the king and his sons?
Ezra 8:21
Context8:21 I called for a fast there by the Ahava Canal, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and seek from him a safe journey 2 for us, our children, and all our property.
Ezra 9:4
Context9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe 3 gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. 4 Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.
Ezra 10:2
Context10:2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, 5 addressed Ezra:
“We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying 6 foreign women from the local peoples. 7 Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard. 8
1 tn The Aramaic word used here for “wrath” (קְצַף, qÿtsaf; cf. Heb קָצַף, qatsaf) is usually used in the Hebrew Bible for God’s anger as opposed to human anger (but contra Eccl 5:17 [MT 5:16]; Esth 1:18; 2 Kgs 3:27). The fact that this word is used in v. 23 may have theological significance, pointing to the possibility of divine judgment if the responsible parties should fail to make available these provisions for the temple.
2 tn Heb “a straight way.”
3 tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”
4 tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
5 tc The translation reads with the Qere, many medieval Hebrew
6 tn Heb “in that we have given a dwelling to.” So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.
7 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
8 tn Heb “upon this.”
