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1–3. Feast of Darius. 4–13. Bodyguard competition. 14–24. The first bodyguard's speech about the power of wine. 2Ezra 3:1 And king Darius made a great feast for his subjects and his household, and for all the nobles of Media and Persia, 1. And King Darius made a great feast. We are talking about the Persian king Darius Hystaspes (521–485 BC). – And to your family: Greek. οίκογενής means one's own slave born in the house. 2Ezra 3:2 and to all the satraps and military leaders and leaders of the countries subject to him from India to Ethiopia in one hundred and twenty-seven satrapies. 2. In one hundred and twenty-seven satrapies: from Judea (in the text of Ezra “from India”) to Ethiopia. Wed. Dan VI1; Esf I1; VIII.9. In the book. Daniel (VI1) says: 120 satrapies; Herodotus (III, 89) has only 20. Obviously, Herodotus has a different division in mind. 2Ezra 3:3 And they ate and drank, and when they were satisfied, they dispersed; King Darius went to his bedroom and slept, and then woke up. 3. King Darius... slept and then woke up (έξυπτος έγένετο). Some authors convey the last expression: “fell into a deep sleep.” With such a translation, the fact of the subsequent conversation between the king’s bodyguards would be clear. But the expression έξυπνος έγένετο undoubtedly has the meaning given to it in the Russian translation. Darius apparently slept restlessly after the feast. This forced the bodyguards to stay awake and, perhaps, to drive away sleep, they started the conversation described below. 2Ezra 3:4 Meanwhile the three young men who were guarding the king’s body said to each other: 2Ezra 3:5 Let each of us say one word about what is mightier than all things? And whose word turns out to be more reasonable than another, King Darius will give him great gifts and a great reward. 4–5. Reproducing the story of Chapter III, I. Flavius ​​gives it a slightly different coloring. According to him, the bodyguard competition took place on the initiative of Darius himself. Waking up before dawn and unable to sleep, Darius entered into a conversation with the bodyguards and promised to generously reward the one who said the wisest word on the topic given to him. 2Ezra 3:6 And he will dress in scarlet, and drink from golden vessels, and sleep on gold, and ride in a chariot with horses with golden bridles, wearing a linen bandage on his head and a necklace around his neck, 2Ezra 3:7 And he will sit second after Darius because of his wisdom, and will be called a relative of Darius. 7. As a reward, the winner is promised that he will be called a relative of Darius. Relative (συγγενής) royal - a high honorary title (1 Mac X:89; II,31; 2 Mac II,1). 2Ezra 3:8 And immediately, having written each his own word, they sealed it and put it under the head of King Darius and said: 2 Ezra 3:9 When the king rises, this scripture will be given to him, and whoever the king and the three nobles of Persia acknowledge that his word is wiser, he will be given the advantage, as it is written. 9 . And who is recognized by the king and three nobles of Persia. At the head of the Persian administration were seven nobles - representatives of seven noble families (cf. 1 Ezra VII, 14, Esther I, 14). It is possible that out of the seven, three stood out as the most noble. The writer points to them. 2Ezra 3:10 One wrote: Wine is the strongest. 2Ezra 3:11 Another wrote: The king is stronger. 2Ezra 3:12 The third wrote: women are stronger, but the truth prevails over everything. 2Ezra 3:13 And so, when the king stood up, they handed him this scripture, and he read it. 2Ezra 3:14 And he sent and called all the nobles of Persia and Media, and the satraps and commanders, and the commanders of the provinces and advisers, 2Ezra 3:15 And he sat down in the council chamber, and the scripture was read before them. 2Ezra 3:16 And he said, Call these young men, let them explain their words. And they were called and entered. 2Ezra 3:17 And he said to them, Explain to us what is written. And the first one who spoke about the power of wine began and spoke like this: 17. And he told them. In Greek: καί είπαν, and “said.” 2Ez.3:18 Oh, men! How strong the wine is! It darkens the minds of all people who drink it; 18. It clouds the mind of all who drink. The word "mind" (διάνοιαν) in Greek. t. refers to the next verse and in v. 18. it was inserted by translators. 2Ezra 3:19 it makes the mind of the king and the orphan, the slave and the free, the poor and the rich, one mind; 2Ezra 3:20 and turns every mind into gladness and joy, so that a person remembers no sorrow and no duty, 2Ezra 3:21 And it makes all hearts rich, so that no one thinks about the king or the satrap, and it makes everyone talk about their talents. 21. And it forces everyone to talk about their talents, that is, to imagine themselves as having talents. 2Ezra 3:22 And when they become drunk, they do not remember to be kind to friends and brothers and quickly draw their swords, 2Ezra 3:23 And when they are sober from the wine, they do not remember what they did. 2Ez.3:24 Oh, men! Isn't wine strongest when it makes you do this? And having said this, he fell silent.