... 1 Esdras 6–7 parallel the text of Ezra 5:1–6:22, with minor differences that suggest an underlying Aramaic text somewhat variant from the Masoretic Text. For example, 1 Esdras 6:23 (parallel to Ezra 6:3) for the difficult Masoretic Text “where sacrifices are offered and its foundations laid” (or something similar) has “where offerings of fire are offered.” Interestingly, the Septuagint text of Ezra also has only “where the sacrifices are offered.” This suggests that both Greek texts had an Aramaic text that lacked part of the sentence found in the Masoretic Text. Similarly, both 1 Esdras 6:31 and the Septuagint of Ezra 6:11 speak of the miscreant’s having his property confiscated (rather than being turned into a dung heap as the Masoretic Text does). For the Masoretic Text form śāvê “elders of” the Jews in Ezra 6:8, 1 Esdras 6:27 has “captivity” of Judah. This is probably not a textual difference but simply reading the unpointed Aramaic text as šĕvî “captivity” (although 1 Esdras 6:5 seems to have a double translation of both “elders” and “captivity” for this word). ...