OET interlinear EZRA 1:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מִֽי־בָ⁠כֶ֣ם מִ⁠כָּל־עַמּ֗⁠וֹ

who? in/on/at/with,you_all from=all people,his

Here, all probably indicates that Cyrus is thinking of not only the people whom the Babylonians had taken into exile from the southern kingdom of Judah some decades before, and their descendants, but also any of the people whose ancestors the Assyrians had taken into exile from the northern kingdom of Israel nearly two centuries earlier. Cyrus now ruled over the territories to which both groups had been exiled. If any in the second group still had awareness and proof of their identity, and if they still wanted to honor and worship Yahweh, they could also return to Jerusalem and help rebuild the temple. (However, as 1:5 indicates, it was essentially Israelites from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who actually did return.) To make this clear, you could include this information. Alternate translation: “Which of you is an Israelite from any tribe”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

יְהִ֤י אֱלֹהָי⁠ו֙ עִמּ֔⁠וֹ

let_it_be his/its=god with=him/it

Cyrus wishing that God will be with these Israelites is an idiom that expresses his wish that God would make their journey and the rebuilding project successful. If it is more natural in your language, you could say this at the end of the verse. Alternate translation: “May his God make him successful”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠יַ֕עַל לִ⁠ירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם

and,go_up to,Jerusalem

Cyrus says go up because the Jews would have to travel from a river valley up into the mountains in order to return from their places of exile to Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “and let him return to Jerusalem”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

לִ⁠ירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּ⁠יהוּדָ֑ה

to,Jerusalem which/who in/on/at/with,Judah

Cyrus once again provides background information about the city. Alternate translation: “to Jerusalem, in the province of Judah”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בֵּ֤ית יְהוָה֙

house_of YHWH

Here, house means a temple. Cyrus continues to speak of this temple as if it would be a house in which Yahweh lived, since Yahweh’s presence would be there. Alternate translation: “a temple for Yahweh”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / distinguish

יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל ה֥וּא הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

YHWH god Yisrael he/it the=ʼElohīm which/who (Some words not found in UHB: who? in/on/at/with,you_all from=all people,his let_it_be his/its=god with=him/it and,go_up to,Jerusalem which/who in/on/at/with,Judah and,build DOM house_of YHWH god Yisrael he/it the=ʼElohīm which/who in/on/at/with,Jerusalem )

Here Cyrus provides further background information to inform his subjects who Yahweh is. Alternate translation: “Yahweh, the God whom the people of Israel worship, who should have a temple in Jerusalem”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

god Yisrael

The phrase the God of Israel does not mean that God belongs to Israel, but that this is the God whom Israel worships. Alternate translation: “the God whom Israel worships”