(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]])

## twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Artexerxes the king ##

Years in the ancient Near East were measured by the year of a king's reign.

## twelve years ##

Nehemiah is restating the number of years for emphasis. AT: "during that entire time"

## neither I nor my brothers ate the food provided for the governor ##

"Neither my brothers nor I ate the food provided for the governor." This food was provided by the king and was part of what a governor was paid by the people. Because the people were starving, Nehemiah chose not to make use of this privilege.

## former governors ##

"previous governors" or "governors from the past" Nehemiah was not the first governor of Judah.

## took from them forty shekels of silver for their daily food and wine ##

AT: "from them forty shekels of silver in addition to daily food and wine."

## shekel ##

(See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/biblicalmoney]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/biblicalweight]])