In the first year: The first word in the Hebrew text is the connective conjunction waw, which is frequently translated as “and” or “but.” However, it serves a number of purposes in Hebrew grammar and has many meanings according to its context. Here it is used in connection with an indication of time, which literally is “And in year one.” The opening words of the book of Ezra identify the time when the events took place, In the first year, that is, the first year of the reign of Cyrus. This temporal construction with the connective conjunction marks the beginning of the discourse in Ezra. Only in the most literal versions is the connective conjunction translated (Darby, Osty-Trinquet, Chouraqui). New King James Version and the New American Standard Bible [New American Standard Bible] render the temporal construction “Now in the first year.” Translators need to use the form that is appropriate for beginning a historical narrative in the receptor literary tradition.
Cyrus was the first king of the Persian Empire who united the Medes and Persians after he defeated the Babylonians in October of 539 B.C. Media was a kingdom in the northwest part of present-day Iran. Persia was a kingdom in the southwest part of present-day Iran. Twice in the opening phrases of this account, Cyrus is referred to as king of Persia. Cyrus was actually the “emperor” (so Good News Translation) of an empire over other nations and kings and the Persian title for his position was “king of kings.” At that time the kingdom of Cyrus extended from the Indus River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. It included Persia, Media, Parthia, Bactria, Assyria, Babylonia, Lydia, Cilicia, Tyre, Judah, and Arabia. In the time of Darius it extended to Egypt. In the Hebrew text the phrase “king of Persia” follows the name of Cyrus as a description. In some languages it may be more natural to identify him by the title of “King,” as New Revised Standard Version has done, or descriptively as “great king” or “big ruler of the land.” Translators may include a brief statement about Cyrus in a footnote as Good News Translation has done.
The intention of God for Cyrus is given very prominent position in the narrative. God’s purpose is presented immediately after the time of the events has been indicated and the king has been identified. It is indicated by a purpose clause: that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished. God’s intention was for his word spoken through Jeremiah to take place.
The Hebrew term for word (davar) has a broad range of meaning. It can refer to a single literal “word,” to a command, or to a proclamation of intention. When the davar is a word of God, it is powerful and it causes things to happen. Here the Hebrew word refers to the prophecy of Jeremiah that the Jews would return from exile. Jeremiah was a prophet in Judah. Before the exile of the Jews to Babylonia, he had announced that they would return to Judah from Babylonia after 70 years (see Jer 29.10; 2 Chr 36.21). Good News Translation makes it explicit that the reference to Jeremiah is to “the prophet Jeremiah” and some translators may choose to do the same. A prophet is a person who speaks to the people on God’s behalf.
For LORD see the discussion in “Translating Ezra and Nehemiah,” pages 18-19.
The expression by the mouth of indicates that this word had been spoken by the prophet. By the mouth of is a special kind of literary expression in which a part of the person refers to the whole person. In some languages it may be possible to keep the expression in the translation as Revised Standard Version and many other translations have done. However, many languages will express “by the mouth of,” “in the mouth of” or “out of the mouth of” differently. Good News Translation refers to what the LORD “had said through” Jeremiah (see also New English Bible [New English Bible], New Jerusalem Bible). Other versions use a more general preposition, saying “spoken by” (New International Version). Contemporary English Version puts it in simple language: “the LORD sent Jeremiah with a message.” The reference here might be to Jer 51.11 since the content and words of that verse are reflected here (“stirred up the spirit of the kings”).
The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus: God initiated what was done by Cyrus. The phrase stirred up is used in the Old Testament especially when God causes foreigners to do his will without their being aware of it (see 1 Chr 5.26; Isa 41.2, 25; 45.13). Good News Translation says that God “prompted” Cyrus to act. Other translations such as Revised Standard Version follow the original word more literally; for example, “moved” (New International Version), “awakened” (Nouvelle version Segond révisée) or “roused” (New Jerusalem Bible). The translator should use a verb or an expression that reveals God’s act in causing his will to be done without implying physical action on his part; for example, God “touched” Cyrus’s will, but God did not literally “push him [to act].” Spirit (ruach in Hebrew) refers to Cyrus’s will by which he carried out God’s purpose. In many languages the metaphor of the heart is used to express someone’s will; in others it may be the liver or the entrails. A person’s will may also be referred to as the thoughts of the person. For this whole clause, the Mandinka translation of West Africa says “The LORD put a thought in the heart of Cyrus.”
Cyrus made a proclamation is literally “brought over a voice.” In the Persian Empire royal messages were communicated through heralds who proclaimed the messages orally to the people. In addition, Cyrus’s message was put in writing. This was an official royal document. It was probably written in Aramaic, the official language of the Persian Empire. Translators should try to find appropriate terms and expressions for communicating official messages in both oral and written form. In some cultures there may be a special name for someone who proclaims messages to the people. There may also be a special verb of announcing aloud or proclaiming. A similar expression may exist for official written messages that are sent out to the people from a ruler. Good News Translation slightly indents the left margin of the edict to set it apart from the text surrounding it.
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 .