OET interlinear EZRA 7:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-background

כִּ֗י

that/for/because/then/when

The word for indicates that the sentence it introduces will provide background information that will help readers appreciate what the book describes next. You can translate it with the word or phrase in your language that is most similar in meaning and significance. Alternate translation: [Now]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

בְּ⁠אֶחָד֙ לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָ⁠רִאשׁ֔וֹן ה֣וּא יְסֻ֔ד הַֽ⁠מַּעֲלָ֖ה מִ⁠בָּבֶ֑ל

on_[day],one of,month (the),first he/it began_of of,the_going_up from,Babylon

The book says ascent to characterize the journey once again as involving a significant climb in elevation. Alternate translation: [the group began its uphill trip from Babylon on the first day of the first month]

Note 3 topic: translate-hebrewmonths

בְּ⁠אֶחָד֙ לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָ⁠רִאשׁ֔וֹן

on_[day],one of,month (the),first

The first month means the first month in the Jewish calendar. You could convert the Hebrew month into an equivalent on the calendar that your culture uses. However, the Jews used a lunar calendar, so if you use a solar calendar, the equivalency will be different every year and the translation will not be entirely accurate. So you may just want to use the name or number of the Hebrew month. Alternate translation: [on the first day of the first month of that year]

Note 4 topic: translate-ordinal

בְּ⁠אֶחָד֙ לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הָ⁠רִאשׁ֔וֹן

on_[day],one of,month (the),first

Alternate translation: [on day one of month one]

Note 5 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וּ⁠בְ⁠אֶחָ֞ד

and,on_[day],one

This word and might indicate that the sentence it introduces draws a contrast between how long this journey would be expect to take and how quickly Ezra and his companions reached Jerusalem. You could begin the sentence with a word such as “but” to indicate this contrast.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠בְ⁠אֶחָ֞ד לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ⁠חֲמִישִׁ֗י בָּ֚א אֶל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כְּ⁠יַד־אֱלֹהָ֖י⁠ו הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽי⁠ו

and,on_[day],one of,month (the),fifth he/it_came to/towards Yerushalayim according,to_the_hand_of his/its=god (the),good on/upon/above=him/it

The implication is that the journey was accomplished quickly and safely, and that this was further evidence of God’s favor towards Ezra. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: [It only took them four months to reach Jerusalem because God was helping them]

Note 7 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וּ⁠בְ⁠אֶחָ֞ד לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ⁠חֲמִישִׁ֗י בָּ֚א אֶל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם כְּ⁠יַד־אֱלֹהָ֖י⁠ו הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽי⁠ו

and,on_[day],one of,month (the),fifth he/it_came to/towards Yerushalayim according,to_the_hand_of his/its=god (the),good on/upon/above=him/it

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 results that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [Because God was helping them, it only took them four months to reach Jerusalem]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

כְּ⁠יַד־אֱלֹהָ֖י⁠ו הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽי⁠ו

according,to_the_hand_of his/its=god (the),good on/upon/above=him/it

As in [7:6](../07/06.md), hand represents action, and the expression the good hand of his God upon him indicates that God acted with care, protection, and favor toward Ezra throughout this journey. Alternate translation: [because God was helping them]