complete verse (Ezra 7:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezra 7:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “Ahitub was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Ahitub was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of Azariah. Azariah was the son of Meraioth.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “After many years, when Artaserkses was king of Persia, Ezra arrived in Jerusalem from Babilonia. This Ezra was the child of Seraya. Seraya was the child of Azaria. Azaria was the child of Helkia. Helkia was the child of Shalum. Shalum was the child of Zadok. Zadok was the child of Ahitub. Ahitub was the child of Amaria. Amaria was the child of Azaria. Azaria was the child of Merayot. Merayot was the child of Zerahia. Zerahia was the child of Uzi. Uzi was the child of Buki. Buki was the child fo Abishua. Abishua was the child of Finehas. Finehas was the child of Eleazar. Eleazar was the child of Aaron the leading priest.
    Ezra was a teacher who really knew well the Law of Moises which was-given by the LORD, the God of Israel. The king gave everything Ezra had-asked-for because the LORD his God helped him.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Azariah, who was the son of Meraioth,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezra 7:2 - 7:5

The names in this genealogy are fewer than those in the genealogy in 1 Chr 6.3-15. Six names in the middle of the 1 Chronicles genealogy are not included here. The shorter genealogy in Ezra may be a deliberate shortening by the author for the purposes of the narrative, or it may simply be an error in the textual tradition since five of the omitted names are repeated in the last part of the genealogy.

Chief priest: This is the only time this term is used in Ezra and Nehemiah. Elsewhere in these books, the usual Hebrew title, generally translated “high priest,” is used of the head priest (see Neh 3.1). Here the title used for Aaron can mean “first priest” because Aaron was the ancestor and the first of all priests in Israel. Although both Hebrew titles are rendered “High Priest” by Good News Translation and “great priest” by Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, it is preferable to make a distinction as Revised Standard Version has done in order to be faithful to the text. Chief priest may be translated “head priest” or “priest of the highest rank.” The high priest may then be referred to as the “great priest” or the equivalent.

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 .