OET interlinear EZRA 8:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

וַ⁠נָּצ֛וּמָ⁠ה

(Some words not found in UHB: and,we,fasted and,we,sought from,God_of,our on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in this(f) and,he_was_entreated to/for=us )

The word So indicates that the sentence it introduces explains the results of what the previous sentence described. Because Ezra was embarrassed to ask the king for protection, he and his fellow travelers earnestly prayed and fasted for God’s protection. Alternate translation: [For this reason, we fasted]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

וַ⁠נָּצ֛וּמָ⁠ה וַ⁠נְּבַקְשָׁ֥⁠ה מֵ⁠אֱלֹהֵ֖י⁠נוּ עַל־זֹ֑את וַ⁠יֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽ⁠נוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and,we,fasted and,we,sought from,God_of,our on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in this(f) and,he_was_entreated to/for=us )

If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an active form for the last phrase. Alternate translation: [For this reason, we fasted and prayed to God about this, and he answered our prayer]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

וַ⁠נָּצ֛וּמָ⁠ה & לָֽ⁠נוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and,we,fasted and,we,sought from,God_of,our on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in this(f) and,he_was_entreated to/for=us )

As Ezra tells his story, he uses we and us in the exclusive sense, that is, it excludes the reader.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

מֵ⁠אֱלֹהֵ֖י⁠נוּ

from,God_of,our

In this case, Ezra is using our in the inclusive sense, that is, it includes the reader, since he is reporting his trip to fellow believers in God. Alternate translation: [from the God to whom we all belong]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וַ⁠יֵּעָתֵ֖ר לָֽ⁠נוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and,we,fasted and,we,sought from,God_of,our on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in this(f) and,he_was_entreated to/for=us )

As is clear from the way this expression is used elsewhere in the Bible, it means that God answered a prayer. For example, [Genesis 25:21](../../gen/25/21.md) says, “Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife because she could not have children, and Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” However, since Ezra does not describe until [8:32](../08/32.md) how the group arrived safely in Jerusalem, the prayer had not yet been answered at this point in the story. So an alternative meaning in context would be that the group received assurance that God would answer their prayer. Alternate translation: [and he answered our prayer] or [and we felt assured that he would answer our prayer]