OET interlinear EZRA 4:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

כְּעַן֙

(Some words not found in UHB: now issue order to,make_to_cease the,men these and,the,city this not rebuilt until from=me the,decree issued )

The word Now is similar to the expression “and now” in 4:10, 4:11, and 4:17. As in 4:13 and 4:14, it introduces an important point within a letter. If your language has a comparable expression that it uses for this same purpose, you can use that in your translation.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

שִׂ֣ימוּ טְּעֵ֔ם לְ⁠בַטָּלָ֖א גֻּבְרַיָּ֣⁠א אִלֵּ֑ךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: now issue order to,make_to_cease the,men these and,the,city this not rebuilt until from=me the,decree issued )

These men means the Jews. This is a reference back to the letter from the Samaritan officials in which they speak of “the Jews who went up from near you” and who “have come to us at Jerusalem” (4:12). The implication is that the Jews are to stop rebuilding the walls and buildings in Jerusalem. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: [issue a decree to make those Jews who returned to Jerusalem from exile stop rebuilding the walls and buildings in Jerusalem]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

וְ⁠קִרְיְתָ֥⁠א דָךְ֙ לָ֣א תִתְבְּנֵ֔א עַד־מִנִּ֖⁠י טַעְמָ֥⁠א יִתְּשָֽׂם

and,the,city this not (Some words not found in UHB: now issue order to,make_to_cease the,men these and,the,city this not rebuilt until from=me the,decree issued )

The phrase so that indicates that the clause that follows describes the purpose for which Artaxerxes wants the officials to issue a decree. It is to make the Jews stop working on the walls and houses. He does not want there to be any rebuilding in Jerusalem unless he authorizes it personally. Alternate translation: [because I want this decree to prevent all rebuilding unless I issue a decree permitting it]