And thou didst command him to build a city for thy name: See 2 Sam 5.9. For thy name refers to Jerusalem being the center for worshiping God (compare 1 Kgs 11.36). Contemporary English Version makes this clear by saying “and told him to build a city where you would be worshiped.”

And in it to offer thee oblations from what is thine: Oblations are sacrifices (see 2 Esd 1.31). From what is thine may be translated “from what was really yours already.”

Alternative models for this verse are:

• You commanded him to build a city where you would be worshiped, and in that city to offer you sacrifices from what was really yours already.

• You commanded him to build a city where they [or, the people] would worship you, and in that city they would offer sacrifices to you from what was really yours already.

• … and in that city they would take things that were already yours and offer them as sacrifices [or, sacrifice them to you].

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.