1 sn (1:1) In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called "Ezra." Exactly how these are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint (LXX) our Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin Vulgate it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the LXX, but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. (In the earliest LXX manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the LXX, but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin Vulgate. The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
2sn (1:1) The first year of Cyrus would be ca. 538 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from ca. 538-529 B.C.
3tc (1:1) The MT reads yPm mippi, but this should probably be emended here to ypB bepi ("in the mouth of"), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This also reflected in the LXX, which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of ypB or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles.
tn (1:1) Heb "from the mouth of."
4tn (1:1) Heb "spirit." The Hebrew noun jWr ("spirit") has a broad range of meanings (see BDB 924-26). Here, it probably refers to (1) "mind" as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. BDB 925 [6]) or (2) "will" as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. BDB 925 [7]). So also in v. 5.
5tn (1:1) Heb "caused to pass."
6tn (1:1) Heb "a voice." The Hebrew noun loq ("voice, sound") has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause--effect) nuance "proclamation" (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See BDB 877 (3.a.2).
7tn (1:1) Heb "in writing, saying."
8tn (1:2) Heb "house." The Hebrew noun tyB ("house") is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh (BDB 108 [1.a]). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
9tn (1:3) Heb "from all."
10tn (1:4) Heb "the men of his place."
11tn (1:5) Heb "the heads of the fathers."
12tn (1:6) Heb "strengthened their hands."
13tc (1:6) The MT reads [sk-ylkB ("with silver vessels"). However, the LXX reads ejn pasin ajrguriw, which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading (Vorlage) of [sKB-lKB ("everywhere, with silver"). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yodh between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of B; and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
14tn (1:7) Heb "and he gave them."
15tn (1:8) Heb "brought them forth."
16tn (1:8) Heb "upon the hand of."
17tn (1:8) Heb "Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah."
18tn (1:9) Heb "these are their number."
19tn (1:9) The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun lfrga (which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The term is a hapax legomenon (a term that appears only once in the OT). The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed a and interchange between g and q): Judean Aramaic and Syriac q~rf´ll´, Arabic q]rf~ll~T, Ethiopic q~rf~l), all meaning "basket" (BDB 174; HALOT 11). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek kartallo"/kartallion ("basket"), Persian j]rf´l ("leather bag") or Hittite K|rT~l ("container"). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as "basket, basin" (BDB 173-74; HALOT 11); but some suggest "leather bag" or a basket-shaped container of some sort (Humbert, ZAW 62:199-200). The LXX translated it as yukthr "metal bowl." The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns [sK ("silver") and bhz ("gold"), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content ("containers full of silver" and "containers full of gold") or genitives of material ("silver containers" and "gold containers" = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means "baskets" or "leather bags" (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean "basins" (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns [sK ("silver") and bhz ("gold") are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation "gold basins" and "silver basins" is preferred.
20tn (1:9) See the note on the word "basins" earlier in this verse.
21tn (1:9) Heb "knives." The Hebrew noun <ypljm mahalapim (lit. "knives") is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb [lj II means "to pass through" (BDB 322) or "to cut through" (HALOT 321) (Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest <ypljm means "knives" (BDB 322; HALOT 569). The related noun toplj "knife" is used in Mishnaic Hebrew (HALOT 321), and topylj "knives" appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic jlPnm "knives" (Gordon, Ugaritic Textbook, 19:1968) and Syriac h£alofta "shearing knife" (HALOT 321). The Vulgate translated it as "knives," while the LXX understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the Vulgate and others adopting the approach of the LXX: "knives" (KJV, NKJV, NRSV), "censers" (RSV), "duplicates" (NASV), "silver pans" (NIV), "bowls" (TEV), "other dishes" (CEV). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the "gold and silver vessels" brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous "silver utensils" (the term <ypljm "knives" would hardly refer to "gold" items, but could refer to "silver items").
22tn (1:10) The meaning of the Hebrew term <ynvm (m!vn'm) is uncertain. The noun hnvm means "double, second" (BDB 1041), "what is doubled, two-fold" (HALOT 650). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: "410 silver bowls of a second kind" (KJV, NASV, RSV margin), "410 other silver bowls" (NRSV) and "410 matching silver bowls" (NIV). BDB suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process (BDB 1041 [2.a]), as reflected in the LXX: "two thousand" (so RSV: "two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver"). The BHS editor suggests revocalizing the term to m+v|nn'm ("changed").
1sn (2:1) The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6-73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.
2tn (2:1) Heb "the sons of."
3tn (2:1) The Hebrew term <yluh (ha'olim, "those who were going up" [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: "went up" (KJV), "came up" (RSV, ASV, NASV, NIV), "came" (NRSV). CEV paraphrases: "were on their way back."
4tn (2:2) Heb "men of the people of Israel."
5tn (2:3) Heb "the sons of."
6tn (2:6) Heb "to the sons of." Cf. v. 40.
7tc (2:6) The MT reads baoy ("Joab"). However, syntax demands the reading baoyw ("and Joab") which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.
8tc (2:21) The translation reads 'anse ("the men of") here rather than the reading bene ("the sons of") found in the MT. So also in vv. 25, 26, 33.
9tc (2:24) The translation reads 'anse bet ("men of the house of") here rather than the reading bene ("the sons of") found in the MT.
10tc (2:25) The translation reads ye´arim here rather than the reading ´arim of the MT.
11tn (2:36) Heb "the house of."
12tc (2:42) Here it is preferable to delete the reading bene ("the sons of") found in the MT.
13tc (2:46) The translation follows the Qere reading "Shalmai" rather than the MT Kethib "Shamlai."
14tn (2:59) Heb "relate."
15tn (2:59) Heb "the house of their fathers."
16tn (2:59) Heb "their seed."
17tc (2:61) The translation reads umin ("and from") rather than the reading umibbene ("and from the sons of") found in the MT.
18tn (2:61) Heb "their."
19tn (2:62) Heb "their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found." This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.
20tn (2:62) Heb "they were desecrated."
21tn (2:63) The Hebrew word atcrt (tirsata') is the title of a Persian governor in Judea (BDB 1077; Holladay 395).
22tn (2:63) Heb "stood."
23tn (2:68) Heb "the heads of the fathers."
24tn (2:68) Heb "cause it to stand."
25tn (2:69) Heb "according to their strength."
26tn (2:69) The meaning of the Hebrew word <ynomKrD (darkemonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning "drachmas" (the view adopted here) or a Persian loanword "daric," referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204; HALOT 232). The LXX rendered the term with dracmai. For further study, see R. de Vaux, Institutes of Ancient Israel, 1.315.
27sn (2:69) The mina (Hebrew <ynm, manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels (BDB 584; HALOT 599). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Institutes of Ancient Israel, 1.309-15.
28tn (2:69) Or "garments."
1tn (3:1) Heb "the sons of Israel."
2tn (3:1) The word "living" is not in the Hebrew text, but is implied. Some translations supply "settled" (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
3tc (3:1) The translation reads with some medieval Hebrew MSS and ancient versions be´arehem ("in their towns"), rather than the reading be´arim ("in the towns") found in the MT. Cf. Neh 7:72 HT [7:73 ET].
4tn (3:1) The Hebrew text adds the phrase "like one man." This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
5tn (3:1) Heb "to."
6sn (3:2) Jozadak (also in 3:8) is a variant spelling of Jehozadak.
7tn (3:2) Heb "his brothers the priests."
8tn (3:2) Heb "his brothers."
9tn (3:2) Heb "arose and built."
10tn (3:2) Heb "written in." Cf. v. 4.
11tn (3:3) Heb "the peoples of the lands."
12tn (3:4) The Hebrew phrase toKS%h^ [gj^] ("[festival of] huts" [or, "shelters"]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. The rendering "booths" (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV) is probably better than the traditional "tabernacles" in light of the meaning of the term hK*s% ("hut; booth"), but "booths" are frequently associated with trade shows and craft fairs in contemporary American English. The nature of the celebration during this feast as a commemoration of the wanderings of the Israelites after they left Egypt suggests that a translation like "temporary shelters" is more appropriate.
13tn (3:4) Heb "by number."
14tn (3:6) Or "the foundation of the LORD's temple was not yet laid.
15tn (3:7) Heb "at the sea"
16tn (3:8) Heb "began"; the phrase "the work" is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
17tn (3:8) Heb "their brothers."
18tn (3:8) Heb "stood."
19tn (3:8) Heb "from twenty years and upward."
20tn (3:9) Heb "brothers."
21sn (3:9) The name Yehudah is probably a variant of Hodaviah (see Ezra 2:40).
22tn (3:9) Heb "brothers."
23tn (3:10) Heb "according to the hands of."
24tn (3:11) Heb "they answered."
25tn (3:11) Heb "great."
26tn (3:12) Heb "the heads of the fathers."
27tn (3:12) Heb "with a great voice."
1tn (4:1) Heb "the sons of the exile."
2tn (4:2) Heb "the heads of the fathers." So also in v. 3.
3tc (4:2) The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran MS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version welo ("and him") rather than the Kethib of the MT, welo' ("and not").
4tn (4:3) Heb "not to you and to us."
5tn (4:4) Heb "the people of the land."
6tn (4:4) Heb "were making slack the hands of."
7tn (4:5) Heb "all the days of."
8sn (4:5) Darius ruled Persia ca. 521-485 B.C.
9sn (4:6) Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 485-464 B.C.
10tn (4:7) Heb "days."
11tc (4:7) The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.
12tc (4:7) It is preferable to delete the MT's uketab here.
13sn (4:7) The double reference in v. 7 to the Aramaic language is difficult. It would not make sense to say that the letter was written in Aramaic and then translated into Aramaic. Some interpreters understand the verse to mean that the letter was written in the Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language, but this does not seem to give sufficient attention to the participle "translated" at the end of the verse. The second reference to Aramaic in the verse is more probably a gloss that calls attention to the fact that the following verses retain the Aramaic language of the letter in its original linguistic form. A similar reference to Aramaic occurs in Dan 2:4b, where the language of that book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. Ezra 4:8-6:18 and 7:12-26 are written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book is written in Hebrew.
14tn (4:8) Aram "lord of the command." So also in vv. 9, 17.
15tn (4:10) Aram "Osnappar," another name for Ashurbanipal.
sn (4:10) Ashurbanipal succeeded his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria in 669 B.C. Around 645 B.C. he sacked the city of Susa, capital of Elam, and apparently some of these people were exiled to Samaria and other places.
16tc (4:10) The translation reads with the ancient versions the plural bequryah ("in the cities") rather than the singular ("in the city") of the MT.
17tn (4:11) Aram "men of."
18tn (4:12) The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11.
19tn (4:13) Aram "of kings."
20tn (4:14) Aram "we eat the salt of the palace."
21tn (4:14) Aram "we have made known."
22tn (4:15) Aram "the book of the minutes."
23tn (4:15) Aram "of your fathers."
24tn (4:15) Aram "discover...and learn." For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
25tn (4:15) Aram "is a rebellious city."
26tn (4:15) Aram "from olden days." So also in v. 19.
27tn (4:16) Aram "will not be to you."
28tn (4:17) Aram "peace."
29tn (4:19) Aram "and they searched and found."
30tn (4:21) Aram "until a command is issued from me."
31tn (4:23) Aram "to Jerusalem against the Jews."
32tn (4:23) Aram "by force and power," a hendiadys.
1tn (5:2) Aram "arose and began." For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
2tn (5:3) Aram "who placed to you a command?" So also v. 9.
3tn (5:3) The exact meaning of the Aramaic word anrVa 'ussarna' here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean "wall." Here it is used in collocation with atyB ("house" as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ~v|rrW ("wall") or ~vr| ("sanctuary"); so BDB 1083.
4tc (5:4) The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew MS, the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta 'amaru ("they said") rather than the reading 'amarna' ("we said") of the MT.
5tn (5:5) Aram "the eye of God was on."
6tn (5:5) Aram "they did not stop them."
7tn (5:5) Aram "[could] go."
8tn (5:7) Aram "all peace."
9sn (5:11) This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.
10tn (5:12) Aram "fathers."
11tn (5:12) Aram "hand" (singular).
12tn (5:14) Aram "gave."
13tn (5:15) Aram "upon its place."
14tn (5:16) Aram "from then until now."
1tn (6:1) Aram "the house of the archives."
2tc (6:2) The translation reads bireta ("citadel") rather than the reading bebireta ("in the citadel") found in the MT. The MT probably experienced dittography here.
3tn (6:3) Aram "In the first year of Cyrus the king."
4tn (6:3) Or perhaps "retained," referring to the original foundations of Solomon's temple.
5tc (6:3) The Syriac Peshitta reads "twenty cubits" here.
6tn (6:3) 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.
7tn (6:4) Aram "given."
8tn (6:4) Aram "house."
9tc (6:7) For the MT reading "the work on this temple of God" the LXX reads "the servant of the Lord Zurababel" [= Zerubbabel].
10tn (6:9) Aram "according to the word of."
11tn (6:11) Aram "a dunghill."
12tn (6:11) Aram "for this."
13tn (6:12) Aram "who sends forth his hand."
14tn (6:13) Aram "sent."
15tn (6:14) Aram "in" or "by," in the sense of accompaniment.
16sn (6:15) The sixth year of the reign of Darius would be ca. 516 B.C.
17tn (6:16) Aram "sons of."
18tn (6:16) Aram "sons of the exile."
19sn (6:19) 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.
20tn (6:20) Heb "brothers."
21tn (6:22) Heb "heart."
22tn (6:22) Heb "to strengthen their hands."
1sn (7:1) If the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7:1 is Artaxerxes I Longimanus (ca. 464-423 B.C.), Ezra must have arrived in Jerusalem ca. 458 B.C., since Ezra 7:7-8 connects the time of his arrival to the seventh year of the king. The arrival of Nehemiah is then linked to the twentieth year of the king (Neh 1:1), or ca. 445 B.C. Some scholars, however, have suggested that Ezra 7:7 should be read as "the thirty-seventh year" rather than "the seventh year." This would have Ezra coming to Jerusalem after, rather than before, the arrival of Nehemiah. Others have taken the seventh year of Ezra 7:7-8 to refer not to Artaxerxes I but to Artaxerxes II, who ruled ca. 404-358 B.C. In this understanding Ezra would have returned to Jerusalem ca. 398 B.C., a good many years after the return of Nehemiah. Neither of these views is certain, however, and it seems better to retain the traditional understanding of the chronological sequence of returns by Ezra and Nehemiah.
2tn (7:1) The words "came up from Babylon" do not appear in the Hebrew text until v. 6. They have been supplied here for the sake of clarity.
3tc (7:7) The translation reads the Hiphil singular wayya´al ("he brought up") rather than the Qal plural wayya´alu ("they came up") of the MT.
tn (7:7) Aram "he brought"; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4tc (7:9) The translation reads yissad (he appointed" [= determined]) rather than the reading yesud ("foundation") of the MT.
5tn (7:10) Heb "his heart."
6tn (7:11) Heb "this."
7tn (7:11) Heb "the priest, the scribe." So also in v. 21.
8sn (7:12) Ezra 7:12-26 is written in Aramaic rather than Hebrew.
9tn (7:14) Aram "sent."
10tn (7:14) Aram "in your hand."
11tn (7:16) Aram "find."
12tc (7:22) The translation reads mesah battin rather than battin mesah of the MT.
13tn (7:25) Aram "in your hand."
14tc (7:25) For the MT reading sapetin ("judges") the LXX has grammateis ("scribes").
15tc (7:28) For the MT reading ra'sim ("heads") the LXX has andras ("men").
1tn (8:1) Heb "the heads of their families."
2tc (8:3) The MT reads here "from the sons of Shecaniah" with no descendant identified in what follows, contrary to the pattern of the context elsewhere. However, it seems better to understand the first phrase of v. 3 with the end of v. 2; the phrase would then modify the name "Hattush." This understanding requires emending the reading mibbene ("from the sons of") in the MT to ben ("[the] son of").
3tc (8:5) The MT lacks "of Seat." Cf. the LXX.
4tc (8:10) The MT lacks "Ban." It is restored on the basis of certain LXX MSS.
5tn (8:13) Or "those who came later." The exact meaning of this Hebrew phrase is uncertain.
6tc (8:14) The translation reads with the Qere, the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate wezakkur ("and Zaccur") rather than the Kethib of the MT, wezabbud ("and Zabbud").
7tn (8:15) Or "I gathered them."
8tn (8:15) Heb "river." So also in vv. 21, 31.
9tc (8:16) The name "Elnathan" occurs twice in this list. Some, assuming an accidental repetition, would include it only once (cf. NAB).
10tn (8:17) Heb "I placed in their mouth words."
11tc (8:17) The translation reads with the LXX and Vulgate we'ehayw ("and his brethren") rather than the reading 'ahiyw ("his brother") of the MT.
12tn (8:17) Heb "in the place called." This phrase has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
13tn (8:18) The words "this" and "came" are not in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
14tn (8:18) Heb "brothers."
15tn (8:22) A number of modern translations regard this as a collective singular and translate "from enemies" (also in v. 31).
16tn (8:22) Heb "his strength and his anger." The expression is a hendiadys (one concept expressed through two terms).
17tc (8:24) The translation reads weserebyah wahasabyah ("and Sherebiah and Hashabiah") rather than the reading leserebyah hasabyah ("to Sherebiah Hashabiah") of the MT.
18tn (8:26) Heb "upon their hand."
19tn (8:26) Possibly "100 silver vessels worth [?] talents" or "silver vessels weighing 100 talents."
20tn (8:30) Heb "received."
21tn (8:31) Heb "from the hand of the enemy and the one who lies in wait." Some modern translations render the latter phrase as "ambushes."
22tn (8:33) Heb "upon the hand of."
1tn (9:1) Heb "the peoples of the lands."
2tn (9:4) Heb "who trembled at the words of the God of Israel."
3tn (9:4) Heb "the exile"; the words "the people" are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
4tn (9:6) Heb "I said."
5tc (9:7) The MT lacks "and" here, but see the LXX and Vulgate.
6tn (9:7) Heb "the kings of the lands."
7tn (9:8) Heb "according to a little moment."
8tn (9:8) Heb "a peg."
9tn (9:9) Heb "has granted us reviving."
10tn (9:9) Heb "to cause to stand."
11tn (9:11) Heb "through your servants the prophets, saying."
12tn (9:11) Heb "the peoples of the lands."
13tn (9:13) Heb "held back downwards from."
14tn (9:15) Heb "this"; the referent (the guilt mentioned previously) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1tc (10:2) The translation reads with the Qere, many medieval Hebrew MSS, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate <l*yu@ (u@yl*<, "Elam") rather than the reading <l*ou (uol*<, "eternity") found in the MT.
2tn (10:2) Heb "in that we have given a dwelling to." So also in vv. 14, 17, 18.
3tn (10:2) Heb "the peoples of the lands."
4tn (10:2) Heb "upon this."
5tn (10:3) Heb "cut."
6tn (10:3) Heb "tremble at."
7tc (10:6) The translation reads wayyalen ("and he stayed") rather than the reading wayyelek ("and he went") of the MT. Cf. the LXX.
8tn (10:7) Heb "voice."
9tn (10:7) Heb "they sent."
10tn (10:11) Heb "the peoples of the land."
11tn (10:12) Heb "thus according to your word [singular = Qere] concerning us, to do."
12tn (10:13) Heb "the time of the rains."
13tc (10:16) The translation reads the Hiphil singular wayyabdel lo ("separated for himself") rather than the Niphal plural wayyibbadelu ("were separated") of the MT.
14tn (10:16) Heb "the heads of the fathers, to the house of their fathers, and all of them by name."
15tn (10:19) Heb "hand."
16tc (10:31) The translation reads with many medieval Hebrew MSS and ancient versions umibbene ("and from the sons of") rather than the reading ubene ("and the sons of") found in the MT.
17tn (10:34) The name "Bani" appears in both v. 29 and v. 34. One of these names has probably undergone alteration in the transmission process, but it is not clear exactly where the problem lies or how it should be corrected.
18tc (10:38) The translation reads umibbene binnuy ("and from the sons of Binnui") rather than the reading ubani ubinnuy ("and Bani and Binnui") of the MT.
19tc (10:44) The final statement in v. 44 is difficult in terms of both its syntax and its meaning. The present translation attempts to make sense of the MT. But the passage may have undergone corruption in the transmission process. One proposal is that the text should be emended to read "and they sent these wives and children away."