The sons of Solomon’s servants were members of families descended from Canaanite slaves who were forced into the service of King Solomon (see 1 Kgs 9.20-21; 2 Chr 8.7-8). As with the Temple servants, numbers are not provided for each family name in this list. Verse 35 gives a total of the number of Temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants.

In our model below for this list we follow the Greek spelling of the names (so also New Revised Standard Version), not the spelling in Revised Standard Version (see the comments on verses 7-8). This affects the names Hassophereth (“Assaphioth” in Greek), Giddel (“Isdael”), Hattil (“Agia”), and Ami (“Allon”). The name Pochereth-hazzebaim may mean “hunter of gazelles.” Good News Bible presents it as two separate words, while Revised Standard Version uses a hyphen to show the relationship between the two parts as in the Greek text. Translators should follow the model they are using.

Compare the parallel passages of Ezra 2.55-57 and Neh 7.57-58.

An alternative model for verses 33-34 is:

• 33 Descendants of King Solomon’s servants also returned. Among them were the families known as Assaphioth, Peruda, Jaalah, Lozon, Isdael, Shephatiah, 34 Agia, Pochereth-hazzebaim, Sarothie, Masiah, Gas, Addus, Subas, Apherra, Barodis, Shaphat, and Allon.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.