¹tn Aram “the house of the archives.”
²tc The translation reads bireta (“citadel”) rather than the reading bebireta (“in the citadel”) found in the MT. The MT probably experienced dittography here.
³tn Aram “In the first year of Cyrus the king.”
⁴map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
⁵tn Or perhaps “retained,” referring to the original foundations of Solomon’s temple.
⁶tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “twenty cubits” here, a measurement probably derived from dimensions given elsewhere for Solomon’s temple. According to 1 Kgs 6:2 the dimensions of the Solomonic temple were as follows: length, 60 cubits; width, 20 cubits; height, 30 cubits. Since one would expect the dimensions cited in Ezra 6:3 to correspond to those of Solomon’s temple, it is odd that no dimension for length is provided. The Syriac has apparently harmonized the width dimension provided here (“twenty cubits”) to that given in 1 Kgs 6:2.
⁷tn Aram “Its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long.
⁸tn Aram “stones of rolling.”
⁹tc The translation follows the LXX reading had (“one”) rather than the MT hadat (“new”). If the MT reading “new” is understood to mean freshly cut timber that has not yet been seasoned it would seem to be an odd choice for construction material.
¹⁰tn Aram “let be given.”
¹¹tn Aram “house.”
¹²tc For the MT reading “the work on this temple of God” the LXX reads “the servant of the Lord Zurababel” [= Zerubbabel].
¹³tn Aram “according to the word of.”
¹⁴tn Aram “for the life of the king and his sons.”
¹⁵sn The practice referred to in v. 11 has been understood in various ways: hanging (cf. 1 Esd 6:32); flogging (cf. NEB); impalement (BDB 1091; HALOT 5:1914). The latter seems the most likely.
¹⁶tn Aram “made.”
¹⁷tn Aram “a dunghill.”
¹⁸tn Aram “for this.”
¹⁹tn Aram “who sends forth his hand.”
²⁰tn Aram “sent.”
²¹tn Aram “in” or “by,” in the sense of accompaniment.
²²sn The sixth year of the reign of Darius would be ca. 516 B.C.
²³tn Aram “sons of.”
²⁴tn Aram “sons of the exile.”
²⁵map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
²⁶tn Aram “according to the writing of.”
²⁷sn At this point the language of the book reverts from Aramaic (4:8-6:18) back to Hebrew. Aramaic will again be used in Ezra 7:12-26.
²⁸tn Heb “the sons of the exile.” So also in v. 20.
²⁹tn Heb “as one.” The expression is best understood as referring to the unity shown by the religious leaders in preparing themselves for the observance of Passover. On the meaning of the Hebrew phrase see DCH 1:182. See also HALOT 1:30; BDB 25.
³⁰tn Heb “brothers.”
³¹tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”
³²tn Heb “heart.”
³³sn The expression “king of Assyria” is anachronistic, since Assyria fell in 612 b.c., long before the events of this chapter. Perhaps the expression is intended subtly to contrast earlier kings of Assyria who were hostile toward Israel with this Persian king who showed them favor.
³⁴tn Heb “to strengthen their hands.”