For the double verse numbering in Revised Standard Version and some other versions, see the comments on verse 36.

I answered and said is better rendered “Then I asked” or “I replied,” since Ezra responds to Uriel by asking more questions.

How then do we find that first Abraham prayed for the people of Sodom, and Moses for our fathers who sinned in the desert…?: This question continues to the end of verse 110 in the Latin text and Revised Standard Version. In many languages it will be better to break it into several sentences (so Good News Bible, Contemporary English Version). How then may be rendered “Why, then.” Abraham prayed for the people of Sodom refers to Gen 18.23-33, and Moses for our fathers who sinned in the desert to Exo 32.11-14. The verb “prayed” (Good News Bible) is implied here from the previous verse. After him, that is, after Moses, may be rendered “Later” (Good News Bible). The phrase in the days of Achan makes it sound like Achan was a ruler, which of course he was not. This phrase may be translated “when Achan was alive.” Joshua prayed for the Israelites because Achan’s disobedience brought the threat of punishment on them all. A possible model for this clause is “Later, why did Joshua pray for the people of Israel because of what Achan did?”

And Samuel in the days of Saul: See 1 Sam 7.9. Good News Bible makes explicit that Samuel “prayed for them [the Israelites].” The phrase in the days of Saul appears to be original (see Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible footnotes). It may be rendered “when Saul was king” or “when Saul ruled over Israel.”

And David for the plague: See 2 Sam 24.14-25. Plague may be translated “epidemic” (Good News Bible). Contemporary English Version renders this clause as “just as David did [prayed] for those who were dying from a horrible disease.”

And Solomon for those in the sanctuary: See 1 Kgs 8.22-53. Those in the sanctuary refers to the Israelites worshiping at the Temple when it was dedicated.

Here is an alternative model for verse 108:

• Why did Samuel pray for them when Saul was king? Why did David pray about the epidemic [or, for those dying from a terrible disease]? Why did Solomon pray for the people worshiping at the Temple?

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.