In this verse a third level of quotation is introduced. The writer of the book of Ezra is quoting the report of the Persian officials. In their report they quote the Jews, and in their answer to the officials they quote King Cyrus’s instructions to Sheshbazzar. This third level of quotation is marked by double quotation marks in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation avoids the problem of quotation by changing the direct quotation of the king into a non-quotation. The original text, of course, gives emphasis to the king’s words by quoting them directly. Translators must use the most effective means in their own languages for distinguishing and for communicating these different levels of quotation.
Take … go … put …: The Aramaic direct quotation is a very striking command through the use of these three consecutive imperative verbs. King Cyrus is quoted as literally saying to Sheshbazzar, “These vessels take, go, place them in the Temple in Jerusalem.” Translators should seek an equally dramatic verbal construction in the receptor language to communicate the king’s order. In some languages this will be a serial verb construction or a special sequence of verbs that may mark the first verb grammatically as a command with the other two verbs following in unmarked form.
The instruction to put them [the vessels] in the temple appears to have been given before the Temple had been rebuilt. It is to be understood, however, that they are to be placed in the Temple when it has been rebuilt as Parole de Vie makes explicit.
And let the house of God be rebuilt: And can be understood as “that is.” If the conjunction is understood this way, the house of God that is to be rebuilt is in apposition to the temple. However, most versions understand the commands regarding the Temple utensils and the rebuilding of the Temple itself to be two different events that do not have a chronological relationship. Again, it is not specified who is to do the rebuilding, but because of what follows in the next verse, Good News Translation interprets the commands to be addressed to Sheshbazzar. In translation a third person passive imperative form may be used (let … be built) or the pattern of Good News Translation may be followed.
On its site: The Temple was to be rebuilt on its “place” or “location,” that is, on the original foundation of Solomon’s Temple, which had been destroyed (see Ezra 2.68).
The third level of quotation ends at the end of this verse as is shown by the closing double quotation mark in Revised Standard Version.
Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .