Discovery BoxEzra 7:7-9 
Context7:7 In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra brought 1 up to Jerusalem 2 some of the Israelites and some of the priests, the Levites, the attendants, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 7:8 He entered Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. 7:9 On the first day of the first month he had determined to make 3 the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, 4 for the good hand of his God was on him.
1 tc The translation reads the Hiphil singular וַיַּעֲל (vayya’al, “he [Ezra] brought up”) rather than the Qal plural וַיַּעַלוּ (vayya’alu, “they came up”) of the MT.
tn Heb “he brought”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
3 tc The translation reads יִסַּד (yissad, “he appointed” [= determined]) rather than the reading יְסֻד (yÿsud, “foundation”) of the MT. (The words “to make” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.)
4 sn Apparently it took the caravan almost four months to make the five hundred mile journey.
