OET interlinear EZRA 8:16

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וָ⁠אֶשְׁלְחָ֡⁠ה

and,sent,

Here the word then indicates that the sentence it introduces explains what Ezra did as a result of what the previous sentence described. Alternate translation: “As a result”

Note 2 topic: translate-names

וָ⁠אֶשְׁלְחָ֡⁠ה לֶ⁠אֱלִיעֶ֡זֶר לַ⁠אֲרִיאֵ֡ל לִֽ֠⁠שְׁמַעְיָה וּ⁠לְ⁠אֶלְנָתָ֨ן וּ⁠לְ⁠יָרִ֜יב וּ⁠לְ⁠אֶלְנָתָ֧ן וּ⁠לְ⁠נָתָ֛ן וְ⁠לִ⁠זְכַרְיָ֥ה וְ⁠לִ⁠מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם

and,sent, for,Eliezer for,Ariel for,Shemaiah and,for,Elnathan and,for,Jarib and,for,Elnathan and,for,Nathan and,for,Zechariah and,for,Meshullam

Here, Ezra lists the names of nine men.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רָאשִׁ֑ים

heads

Unlike in 7:28, here this expression does not mean heads of father’s houses, that is, clan leaders. Rather, heads here has a more general meaning and is simply a figurative way of saying “leaders.” None of these nine men, with the possible exception of Zechariah, are among the clan leaders listed in 8:2–14. (And considering that three of the men whom Ezra summoned were named Elnathan, which shows that several individuals could share the same name, it is quite possible that this is a different Zechariah from either the one named in 8:3 or the one named in 8:11.) Alternate translation: “who were all leaders”

Note 4 topic: translate-names

וּ⁠לְ⁠יוֹיָרִ֥יב וּ⁠לְ⁠אֶלְנָתָ֖ן

and,for,Joiarib and,for,Elnathan

Here Ezra lists the names of two more men.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מְבִינִֽים

wise

This phrase suggests that while Joiarib and Elnathan were not community leaders like the other nine men, Ezra sent them anyway to help recruit more temple personnel because they were wise and reasonable and could be persuasive. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “because, even though they were not leaders, they were discerning”