OET interlinear EZRA 3:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וַ⁠יָּכִ֤ינוּ הַ⁠מִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ עַל־מְכ֣וֹנֹתָ֔י⁠ו כִּ֚י בְּ⁠אֵימָ֣ה עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֔ם מֵ⁠עַמֵּ֖י הָ⁠אֲרָצ֑וֹת

and,set_up the,altar on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in foundation,its that/for/because/then/when in/on/at/with,fear around,they because_of,peoples the,lands

If it would be helpful in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases since the second phrase gives the reason for the action that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: “Because they were afraid of the people from other groups who lived around them, thinking they might attack them, they wanted to ask God for help and protection, so they made rebuilding the altar their first priority” or “Because they were afraid of the people from other groups who lived around them, thinking they might try to stop them from rebuilding the temple, they wanted to get started on rebuilding as quickly as possible, and so they began right away with the altar”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠יָּכִ֤ינוּ הַ⁠מִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ עַל־מְכ֣וֹנֹתָ֔י⁠ו

and,set_up the,altar on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in foundation,its

This phrase likely means that the priests and leaders built this new altar right at the place where the altar had been located within the former temple. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that as an alternate translation.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

כִּ֚י בְּ⁠אֵימָ֣ה עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֔ם מֵ⁠עַמֵּ֖י הָ⁠אֲרָצ֑וֹת

that/for/because/then/when in/on/at/with,fear around,they because_of,peoples the,lands

The book does not say specifically why the Israelites were afraid of the people from other groups who lived around them. Two possibilities are that they were afraid these people might attack them or that they might try to keep them from rebuilding the temple, in both cases to stop them from re-establishing themselves in their former homeland. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could suggest one of these explanations explicitly. Alternate translation: “because they were afraid that the people from other groups who lived around them might attack them, they wanted to ask God for help and protection” or “because they were afraid that the people from other groups who lived around them might try to stop them from rebuilding the temple, they wanted to get started on rebuilding as quickly as possible”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּ⁠אֵימָ֣ה עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

in/on/at/with,fear around,they

Here the book uses a spatial metaphor of dread or fear landing on or resting on the Israelites to express that the Israelites felt that emotion. Alternate translation: “they were very afraid”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

מֵ⁠עַמֵּ֖י הָ⁠אֲרָצ֑וֹת

because_of,peoples the,lands

This was the expression that the Jews used to refer to members of other people groups, including some that the Assyrians had brought into the area who were originally from other places (lands) but who were now living in and around the province of Judah. Alternate translation: “people from other groups”

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-time-sequential

וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤י⁠ו עֹלוֹת֙ לַֽ⁠יהוָ֔ה עֹל֖וֹת לַ⁠בֹּ֥קֶר וְ⁠לָ⁠עָֽרֶב

(Some words not found in UHB: and,set_up the,altar on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in foundation,its that/for/because/then/when in/on/at/with,fear around,they because_of,peoples the,lands and,offered on/upon/above=him/it burnt_offerings to/for=YHWH burnt_offerings for_the,morning and,for_the,evening )

The word then at the beginning of this sentence indicates that the activity it describes took place after the events the story has been describing. Specifically, this was a continuous activity, not something the leaders did just on that occasion. If it would be helpful in your language, you could show this relationship by using a phrase such as “from that time on.” Alternate translation: “From that time on, the priests offered sacrifices to Yahweh on this altar every morning and every evening”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤י⁠ו עֹלוֹת֙ לַֽ⁠יהוָ֔ה עֹל֖וֹת לַ⁠בֹּ֥קֶר וְ⁠לָ⁠עָֽרֶב

(Some words not found in UHB: and,set_up the,altar on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in foundation,its that/for/because/then/when in/on/at/with,fear around,they because_of,peoples the,lands and,offered on/upon/above=him/it burnt_offerings to/for=YHWH burnt_offerings for_the,morning and,for_the,evening )

As 3:2 notes, God had commanded these daily offerings in the law of Moses. By resuming them, the leaders and priests were restoring the regular worship life of the community. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “From that time on, the priests offered sacrifices to Yahweh on this altar every morning and every evening. By doing that, they restored the regular worship life of the community”