Book Chapter Verse ID SupportReference OrigQuote Occurrence GLQuote OccurrenceNote NEH front intro k2y2 0 # Introduction to Nehemiah
## Part 1: General Introduction

### Outline of Nehemiah

1. Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem and inspects the walls (1:1-2:20)
1. The people rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (3:1-4:23)
1. Nehemiah helps the poor and provides an unselfish example (5:1–19)
1. Enemies try to slow down the work, but the people finish the walls (6:1–19)
1. Nehemiah lists the people who returned from exile (7:6–73)
1. Ezra reads the Law of Yahweh and the people respond (8:1-10:39)
1. Nehemiah lists the people who lived in and around Jerusalem (11:1–36)
1. Nehemiah lists the priests and Levites (12:1–26)
1. The people dedicate the walls of Jerusalem (12:27–47)
1. Nehemiah corrects problems (13:1–31)

### What is the Book of Nehemiah about?

A Jew named Nehemiah lived in Persia and worked for King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah received a report that the walls around Jerusalem were broken down. Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to help rebuild the city walls. The walls around the city helped protect the city against armies and invaders.

### How should the title of this book be translated?

The Book of Nehemiah is named for a Jewish leader named Nehemiah. Translators can use the traditional title “Nehemiah.” Or they may choose a clearer title, such as “The Book about Nehemiah.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

## Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts

### Why were Israelites not allowed to marry people from other nations?

Foreigners worshiped many false gods. Yahweh did not allow his people to marry foreigners. He knew this would cause the people of Israel to worship false gods. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/falsegod]])

### Did all of the people of Israel return to their homeland?

Many of the Jews remained in Babylon instead of returning to the Promised Land. Many of them were successful in Babylon and desired to remain there. However, this meant that they were unable to worship Yahweh in Jerusalem as their ancestors had done. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/promisedland]])

## Part 3: Important Translation Issues

### How does the Book of Nehemiah use the term “Israel”?

The Book of Nehemiah uses the term “Israel” to refer to the kingdom of Judah. It was mostly made up of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. The other ten tribes had ended their loyalty to any kings descended from David. God allowed the Assyrians to conquer the other ten tribes and take them into exile. As a result, they mixed with other people groups and did not return to the land of Israel. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/israel]])

### Are the events in the Book of Nehemiah told in the order that they actually happened?

Some of the events in the Book of Nehemiah are not told in the order they actually happened. Translators should pay attention to notes that signal when events are probably out of order. NEH 1 intro y5jf 0 # Nehemiah 01 General Notes

## Structure and formatting

### “The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:”

This phrase serves as an introduction to this entire book.

## Special concepts in this chapter

### Repentance

This chapter is a single long record of Nehemiah’s repentance on behalf of the people. (See: \[\[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/repent\]\])

## Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter

### I

In this book, the word “I” always refers to Nehemiah.

### Israel

It is uncertain to whom “Israel” refers. It probably does not refer to the northern kingdom of Israel. Neither does it likely refer to the twelve tribes of Israel. Instead, it is probably a reference to Israel in the sense of the surviving people group. At Nehemiah’s time, this people group exclusively comprised the tribe of Judah because the other tribes had already been scattered throughout the entire Near East, where they lost their identity, for the most part. NEH 1 1 bi9h translate-names נְחֶמְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָ֑ה 1 Nehemiah, the son of Hakaliah Nehemiah is the name of a man, and Hakaliah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 1 abc1 writing-newevent וַ⁠יְהִ֤י 1 Now it happened This is a common way of beginning a historical story. Alternate translation: “My story begins” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/riting-newevent]]) NEH 1 1 qd3e translate-hebrewmonths בְ⁠חֹֽדֶשׁ־כִּסְלֵיו֙ 1 in the month of Kislev **Kislev** is the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 1 hn28 figs-explicit שְׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים 1 in the twentieth year This is referring to the number of years that Artaxerxes had been reigning as king. Alternate translation: “in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes, King of Persia” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 1 1 abc3 figs-metonymy בְּ⁠שׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַ⁠בִּירָֽה 1 in Susa the citadel The city in which this palace was located was also called Susa, because the city was associated with the palace. Since this was where the kings of Persia lived, it was the capital city of their empire. Alternate translation: “the capital city of Susa” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 1 abc5 translate-names בְּ⁠שׁוּשַׁ֥ן 1 in Susa This was the name of a royal city of the Persian kings. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 1 g6dl translate-unknown הַ⁠בִּירָֽה 1 the citadel This means a “castle” or “palace” or “stronghold,” usually inside a city, where a king would live. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 1 2 f2ab translate-names חֲנָ֜נִי 1 Hanani This is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 2 l6cw חֲנָ֜נִי אֶחָ֧ד 1 one of my brothers The term **brother** is often used figuratively in this book, but here it most likely means that Hanani was Nehemiah’s biological brother. NEH 1 2 abc7 figs-gendernotations ה֥וּא וַ⁠אֲנָשִׁ֖ים 1 he and men This was a delegation that had come from one Jewish community to visit another Jewish community in another part of the world. So it’s possible and even likely that it included women as well as men. Alternate translation: “along with some other people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]]) NEH 1 2 lg14 translate-names מִֽ⁠יהוּדָ֑ה 1 from Judah Judah was formerly the southern kingdom of the Israelites. It was now a Persian province. Alternate translation: “the province of Judah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 2 abc9 figs-parallelism הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֧ים הַ⁠פְּלֵיטָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ מִן־הַ⁠שֶּׁ֖בִי 1 the Jews who escaped, who were left behind from the captivity These two phrases mean the same thing. Nehemiah uses them together for clarity to describe one particular group of people, and perhaps also to express his particular concern for them. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “the Jews who had escaped the exile” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 2 q7zi figs-explicit הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֧ים הַ⁠פְּלֵיטָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ מִן־הַ⁠שֶּׁ֖בִי 1 the Jews who escaped, who were left behind from the captivity These two phrases refer to the same group of people. Possible meanings are (1) the few Jews who were taken as exiles to Babylon but escaped and returned to live in Jerusalem or (2) the few Jews who had escaped from those who were trying to take them into exile in Babylon and so remained in Jerusalem. Since it is unclear from where they escaped, it may be best not to specify in the translation. Alternate translation: “the Jews who had escaped the exile and who remained in Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 2 ab11 figs-abstractnouns הַ⁠שֶּׁ֖בִי 1 the captivity **Captivity** is an abstract noun that refers to the Jews being taken away from their homeland. Judah had been conquered by the Babylonians about 150 years before this. The Babylonians had taken many people away from Judah and relocated them to different parts of their empire. About 50 years later, the Persian Empire conquered Babylon and many Jews, like Nehemiah, came to live in Persia. But some also lived in their former homeland. You can translate this idea with a phrase such as “the time when the Jews were taken away” or “the time when soldiers forced many Jews to go to Babylon” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 1 2 ab13 figs-explicit וְ⁠עַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 and about Jerusalem Jerusalem had been the capital city of the kingdom of Judah. Nehemiah was asking specifically about the physical condition of the buildings and walls in the city, in addition to asking about the welfare of the Jewish community in Judah. Alternate translation: “about the condition of Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 3 igf2 figs-parallelism הַֽ⁠נִּשְׁאָרִ֞ים אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֤וּ מִן־הַ⁠שְּׁבִי֙ 1 the ones left behind, who were left behind from the captivity These two statements mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to show his concern for this group. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “the Jews who escaped the exile and remained” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 3 y1zg figs-metonymy בַּ⁠מְּדִינָ֔ה 1 in the province Here **province** refers to Judah as an administrative district within the Persian Empire. Hanani is describing Judah by referring to something associated with it, its status as a province. Alternate translation: “in the province of Judah” or “in Judah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 3 ab15 figs-doublet בְּ⁠רָעָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּ⁠בְ⁠חֶרְפָּ֑ה 1 in great evil and in reproach **Evil** and **reproach** mean similar things. Hanani uses them together to emphasize what a desperate situation the people are in. You do not need to repeat both words in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “in a desperate situation” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 1 3 ab17 figs-abstractnouns בְּ⁠רָעָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּ⁠בְ⁠חֶרְפָּ֑ה 1 in great evil The abstract noun **evil** in this case does not refer to something morally bad, but to a difficult situation. It describes the situation objectively, as bad for the people in it. You can translate this idea with an adjective such as “bad.” Alternate translation: “in a very bad situation” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 1 3 ab19 figs-abstractnouns וּ⁠בְ⁠חֶרְפָּ֑ה 1 and in reproach **Reproach** is an abstract noun that describes how other people would see the situation of the Jews. The situation would lead them to say bad things about them. You can translate this idea with a verb such as “mock.” Alternate translation: “people are mocking them.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 1 3 pk3f figs-activepassive וְ⁠חוֹמַ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ מְפֹרָ֔צֶת וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ נִצְּת֥וּ בָ⁠אֵֽשׁ 1 the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire This can be stated in active form. You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “armies have broken open the wall of Jerusalem and have set its gates on fire” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 1 3 ab21 figs-explicit וְ⁠חוֹמַ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ מְפֹרָ֔צֶת וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ נִצְּת֥וּ בָ⁠אֵֽשׁ 1 the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire The implication is that the people are now defenseless. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “The people living there are defenseless.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 3 ab23 נִצְּת֥וּ בָ⁠אֵֽשׁ 1 burned with fire This is a more descriptive expression than just “burned.” It means completely burned. Alternate translation: “burned down” NEH 1 4 ab25 writing-newevent וַ⁠יְהִ֞י 1 And it happened that Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next episode in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses. Alternate translation: “So the next thing I did” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 1 4 ab27 figs-metonymy כְּ⁠שָׁמְעִ֣⁠י ׀ אֶת־הַ⁠דְּבָרִ֣ים הָ⁠אֵ֗לֶּה 1 as soon as I heard these words Here **words** refers to the things that were described by the words. Alternate translation: “when I heard about these things” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 4 ab29 translate-symaction יָשַׁ֨בְתִּי֙ וָֽ⁠אֶבְכֶּ֔ה 1 I sat down, and I wept **Sitting down** likely means that Nehemiah stopped going about his usual business because he was so overcome by grief. Alternate translation: “I could do nothing else but grieve” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]]) NEH 1 4 ab31 וָ⁠אֶתְאַבְּלָ֖⁠ה יָמִ֑ים 1 I mourned for days This means that Nehemiah kept on grieving. He did not get over being upset. The term “days” here suggests “many days” and it is a figurative expression for “a long time.” Alternate translation: “I could not stop mourning for a long time.” NEH 1 4 ab33 צָם֙ וּ⁠מִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל 1 fasting and praying **Fasting** means going without food. This was something that Jews often did in connection with prayer. It allowed them to concentrate on their prayers, and it showed how important those prayers were. Alternate translation: “I went without food, and I prayed” NEH 1 4 ab35 bita-hq וּ⁠מִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל לִ⁠פְנֵ֖י 1 and praying before the face of Here **face** is a metonym for the action of seeing, which is a figurative way of referring to a person’s notice or attention to something. Nehemiah is saying that he prayed in order to bring these matters to God’s notice or attention. Alternate translation: “and I prayed to” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 4 ab37 אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַ⁠שָּׁמָֽיִם 1 the God of heaven Alternate translation: “the God who is in heaven” NEH 1 5 ab39 וָ⁠אֹמַ֗ר 1 Then I said Here Nehemiah tells what he prayed. Alternate translation: “Then I prayed” NEH 1 5 ab41 figs-exclamations אָֽנָּ֤א 1 Ah! Nehemiah uses this word to call on God with strong feeling. Alternate translation: “O” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamations]]) NEH 1 5 pf2l translate-names יְהוָה֙ 1 Yahweh This is the name of God that he revealed to his people in the Old Testament. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 5 ab43 figs-you אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַ⁠שָּׁמַ֔יִם 1 the God of heaven Since Nehemiah is addressing God directly, you can use “you” forms in your translation. They should be singular but also respectful. Alternate translation: “you are the God who is in heaven” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-you]]) NEH 1 5 ab45 figs-doublet הָ⁠אֵ֥ל הַ⁠גָּד֖וֹל וְ⁠הַ⁠נּוֹרָ֑א 1 the great and fearsome God **Great** and **fearsome** mean similar things. Nehemiah uses them together to emphasize how much respect God deserves. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. However, there is a slight difference in meaning, and you could also bring that out in your translation. “Great” refers to how powerful God is objectively. “Fearsome” reflects how people should respond to God’s greatness subjectively. They should “fear” God. This does not mean that they should be afraid of him, but that they should show him respect and reverence. Alternate translation: “the great and awesome God” or “the God who deserves total respect” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 1 5 ab47 figs-parallelism שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַ⁠בְּרִית֙ וָ⁠חֶ֔סֶד 1 who keeps the covenant and covenant faithfulness **Covenant** and **covenant faithfulness** mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to emphasize how certain it is that God will keep his promises. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. However, there is a slight difference in meaning, and you could bring that out in your translation even if you combine the phrases. The “covenant” is God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants. “Covenant faithfulness” is a character quality of God. He is inwardly disposed to keep all of his promises, and so he always does so faithfully. So you could say something like, “Because of who you are, you always keep your promises faithfully.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 5 ab49 figs-parallelism לְ⁠אֹהֲבָ֖י⁠ו וּ⁠לְ⁠שֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽי⁠ו 1 to those who love him and to those who keep his commandments Nehemiah is not describing two different groups. These phrases mean similar things. The repetition is used for clarity and emphasis. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to express that those who love God show this by keeping his commandments. You can translate this so that it is clear that these words describe one group. Alternate translation: “those who love you and keep your commandments” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 5 zc64 figs-123person לְ⁠אֹהֲבָ֖י⁠ו וּ⁠לְ⁠שֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽי⁠ו 1 to those who love him and to those who keep his commandments Since Nehemiah is speaking to Yahweh, the pronouns “him” and “his” can be translated as “you” and “your.” Alternate translation: “who love you and keep your commandments” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 6 ab51 figs-parallelism תְּהִ֣י נָ֣א אָזְנְ⁠ךָֽ־קַשֶּׁ֣בֶת וְֽ⁠עֵינֶ֪י⁠ךָ פְתֻוּח֟וֹת 1 Please let your ear be attentive and your eyes opened These two phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to urge God to pay attention to him. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “pay attention to me,” otherwise “please listen to me and look at me.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 6 ab53 figs-metonymy אָזְנְ⁠ךָֽ־קַשֶּׁ֣בֶת 1 your ear be attentive This request for God’s ear to be attentive refers figuratively to the action of listening. In this context, Nehemiah is asking God to listen to his prayer, with the intention that God would do something about the bad situation in Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 6 g947 figs-metonymy וְֽ⁠עֵינֶ֪י⁠ךָ פְתֻוּח֟וֹת 1 and your eyes opened This request for God’s eyes to be open refers figuratively to the action of seeing. Seeing is a metaphor meaning knowledge, perception, notice, attention, or judgment. In this case, is asking God to pay attention both to him and to the problem in Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 6 qjf3 figs-123person תְּפִלַּ֣ת עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֡ 1 the prayer of your servant Nehemiah uses the word servant to refer to himself. This is how a person would address a superior in order to show humility and respect. Alternate translation: “my prayer” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 6 ab55 bita-hq מִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל לְ⁠פָנֶ֤י⁠ךָ 1 am praying before your face Here **face** is a metonym for the action of seeing, which is figurative way of referring to a person’s notice or attention to something. Nehemiah is repeating the fact that he is praying in order to bring these matters to God’s notice or attention. Alternate translation: “praying to you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 6 ab57 figs-idiom הַ⁠יּוֹם֙ 1 today This does not necessarily mean on this particular day, but at this time. Alternate translation: “right now” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 1 6 v8gx figs-merism הַ⁠יּוֹם֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָ⁠לַ֔יְלָה 1 day and night When Nehemiah says that he has prayed both during the day and during the night, he means that he has also prayed at all times in between, that is, constantly. However, he does not mean that he has prayed non-stop all day long and all night long, without doing any other activities such as sleeping or eating. Alternate translation: “constantly,” otherwise “during the day and at night” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]]) NEH 1 6 ab59 figs-gendernotations בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל 1 the sons of Israel Here **sons** figuratively means “descendants.” Alternate translation: “on behalf of the people of Israel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]] and (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 6 ab61 figs-metaphor עֲבָדֶ֑י⁠ךָ 1 your servants In this context, the word **servants** refers to the special role that the people of Israel had in the world as a model community of God’s followers. Alternate translation: “your chosen people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 6 ab63 figs-gendernotations וּ⁠מִתְוַדֶּ֗ה עַל־חַטֹּ֤אות בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֣אנוּ לָ֔⁠ךְ 1 confessing on account of the sins of the sons of Israel that we have sinned against you Here again **sons** means “descendants” and the phrase refers to the people of Israel Alternate translation: “I must confess the sins that we, the people of Israel, have committed against you.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]]) NEH 1 6 bxj6 bita-manmade וַ⁠אֲנִ֥י וּ⁠בֵית־אָבִ֖⁠י חָטָֽאנוּ 1 Even I and the house of my father, we have sinned Among the Israelites, the expression **father’s house** or **house of the father** originally described an extended-family group. It later came to be used more generally to refer to a larger clan within a tribe. In this expression, the word "house" figuratively describes all the people descended from a particular person. The term views all of those descendants as if they were one household living together. However, since Nehemiah is stressing his sense of personal responsibility here and identifying closely with the people in this group, he may be using the term in its original sense to refer to his nearest relatives. Alternate translation: “Both I and my family have also sinned” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) NEH 1 7 ab65 figs-abstractnouns חֲבֹ֖ל חָבַ֣לְנוּ לָ֑⁠ךְ 1 With extreme corruption we have acted corruptly against you The repetition here is used for emphasis. You can translate the idea of the abstract noun “corruption”’ with an adverb such as “wickedly.” Alternate translation: “We have acted very wickedly toward you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 1 7 ab67 figs-doublet אֶת־הַ⁠מִּצְוֺ֗ת וְ⁠אֶת־הַֽ⁠חֻקִּים֙ וְ⁠אֶת־הַ⁠מִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים 1 the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments These three words mean basically the same thing. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize how comprehensively the Israelites have disobeyed what God commanded them through Moses. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine them into a single phrase. Alternate translation: “the Law of Moses,” otherwise “the commands and rules and laws” (Note: A doublet can involve the use of more than two words.) (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 1 7 brz7 figs-explicit אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽ⁠ךָ 1 that you commanded Moses, your servant Moses was the great leader who brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt centuries before and gave them God’s law. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “that you gave us many years ago through your servant Moses.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 8 pv64 figs-idiom זְכָר־נָא֙ 1 Please remember Here **remember** is an idiom that means to think about someone and consider what action you can take on their behalf. Nehemiah is not suggesting that God has forgotten the promise he made to Moses. Alternate translation: “Please call to mind” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 1 8 y5jp figs-yousingular הַ⁠דָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֛יתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֖ 1 the word that you commanded Moses, your servant The pronouns **you** and **your** refer to God and so are singular. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-yousingular]]) NEH 1 8 ab69 הַ⁠דָּבָ֔ר 1 the word This refers to a promise that God made while giving the Law to the people of Israel through Moses. Alternate translation: “the promise” NEH 1 8 b6qh figs-you אַתֶּ֣ם תִּמְעָ֔לוּ 1 If you yourselves act unfaithfully The pronouns **you** and **yourselves** refer to the Israelite people, and so they are plural. Alternate translation: “If you Israelites” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-you]]) NEH 1 8 ab71 figs-metaphor אַתֶּ֣ם תִּמְעָ֔לוּ 1 If you yourselves act unfaithfully Here infidelity in marriage is used as a figurative description of the people of Israel not keeping God’s commandments. Alternate translation: “If you Israelites do not keep my commandments” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 8 ab73 אָפִ֥יץ אֶתְ⁠כֶ֖ם בָּ⁠עַמִּֽים 1 I myself will scatter you among the peoples Alternate translation: “I will take you from your land and make you live among the other nations” NEH 1 8 evf5 figs-explicit אָפִ֥יץ אֶתְ⁠כֶ֖ם בָּ⁠עַמִּֽים 1 I myself will scatter you among the peoples The implication is that God would do this to punish the Israelites for breaking his commandments. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “as a punishment, I will take you from your land and make you live among the other nations” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 9 dqn5 figs-you וְ⁠שַׁבְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔⁠י וּ⁠שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔⁠י וַ⁠עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑⁠ם אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה נִֽדַּחֲ⁠כֶ֜ם 1 But if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, although your banished ones are The pronouns **you** and **your** refer to the Israelite people, so they are plural. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-you]]) NEH 1 9 ab75 figs-metaphor וְ⁠שַׁבְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔⁠י וּ⁠שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔⁠י וַ⁠עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑⁠ם אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה נִֽדַּחֲ⁠כֶ֜ם 1 But if you return to me **Return** is a figurative way of saying “become loyal again.” Alternate translation: “If you become loyal to me again” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 9 ab77 figs-parallelism וּ⁠שְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔⁠י וַ⁠עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם 1 and keep my commandments and do them These two statements mean similar things. They are used together for emphasis. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “start obeying my commandments once more” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 9 ab79 נִֽדַּחֲ⁠כֶ֜ם 1 your banished ones This refers to the exile. Alternate translation: “all of you who were taken away” NEH 1 9 f8jz figs-hyperbole בִּ⁠קְצֵ֤ה הַ⁠שָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ 1 at the extremity of heaven This means “the most distant point under the sky.” In this culture the sky was understood to be a solid dome with a flat earth beneath it. The phrase is describing a point beyond which no one could go any farther because they would have reached the edge of the dome of the sky. This is an overstatement, because even from the perspective of this culture, no one could really reach such a point. Alternate translation: “places very far away” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 1 9 ab81 figs-123person אֲקַבְּצֵ֔⁠ם וַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙ 1 I will gather them and bring them Since God is actually addressing the Israelites here, you can say “you” in the plural. Alternate translation: “I will bring you back” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 9 ab83 figs-parallelism אֲקַבְּצֵ֔⁠ם וַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙ 1 I will gather them and bring them These two statements mean similar things. They are used together to emphasize that God will definitely keep this promise. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine the phrases. Alternate translation: “I will bring you back” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 9 ab85 figs-personification אֶל־הַ⁠מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתִּי לְ⁠שַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶת־שְׁמִ֖⁠י שָֽׁם 1 to the place where I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there Here God’s name is spoken of as if it were capable of living in a place. The phrase indicates the place from which God chose to start making himself famous throughout the world. You can say something like that as an alternate translation. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 1 9 lgh9 figs-explicit אֶל־הַ⁠מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתִּי לְ⁠שַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶת־שְׁמִ֖⁠י שָֽׁם 1 to the place where I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there This phrase refers initially to Jerusalem, because that was where God chose to put his temple. You could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “to Jerusalem, where I have chosen for my name to remain” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 9 w4qw figs-metonymy אֶל־הַ⁠מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתִּי לְ⁠שַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶת־שְׁמִ֖⁠י שָֽׁם 1 to the place where I have chosen to cause my name to dwell there Nehemiah is actually using this phrase to refer to all of Judah. As the book explains later, when the Jews returned there, they each settled in their own former towns, though one in ten of them were recruited to live in Jerusalem. So Judah is being described by something associated with it, the capital city. Alternate translation: “to your homeland of Judah.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 9 g88j bita-hq שְׁמִ֖⁠י 1 my name Here **name** is a figurative way of referring to the fame or reputation of a person. Their fame is described by something associated with it, how well known their name is and how people react to hearing it. Alternate translation: “reputation” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 10 mjx7 figs-123person וְ⁠הֵ֥ם עֲבָדֶ֖י⁠ךָ וְ⁠עַמֶּ֑⁠ךָ 1 And they are your servants and your people The word **they** refers to the Israelite people. Since Nehemiah is speaking on their behalf and including himself, you could say “we” in your translation if that would make things clearer for your readers. If your language marks the distinction, “we” should not include the addressee. Alternate translation: “we are your servants, your chosen people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 10 ab87 figs-parallelism וְ⁠הֵ֥ם עֲבָדֶ֖י⁠ךָ וְ⁠עַמֶּ֑⁠ךָ 1 And they are your servants and your people As in [1:6](../01/06.md), **servants** refers to the special role that the people of Israel had as a model community of God’s followers. So these two phrases are basically saying the same thing. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “we are your chosen people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 10 ab89 figs-explicit אֲשֶׁ֤ר פָּדִ֨יתָ֙ 1 whom you redeemed This is a reference to the way God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Alternate translation: “you rescued us from slavery in Egypt” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 10 zu4s figs-doublet בְּ⁠כֹחֲ⁠ךָ֣ הַ⁠גָּד֔וֹל וּ⁠בְ⁠יָדְ⁠ךָ֖ הַ⁠חֲזָקָֽה 1 by your great power and by your strong hand These two phrases mean basically the same thing. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize the intensity of Yahweh’s power. Alternate translation: “by your very great strength” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 1 10 ab91 bita-hq וּ⁠בְ⁠יָדְ⁠ךָ֖ הַ⁠חֲזָקָֽה 1 your strong hand Here **hand** represents a person’s power, strength, or ability. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) NEH 1 11 ab93 figs-exclamations אָנָּ֣א 1 Ah! As in [1:5](../01/05.md), Nehemiah uses this word to call on God with strong feeling. Alternate translation: “O” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclamations]]) NEH 1 11 ab95 אֲדֹנָ֗⁠י תְּהִ֣י נָ֣א אָזְנְ⁠ךָֽ־קַ֠שֶּׁבֶת אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֨ת עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֜ 1 My Lord, please let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant Nehemiah calls himself a **servant** and he calls God his **Lord** because this is how a person in his culture would address a superior in order to show humility and respect. See how you translated this in [1:6](../01/06.md). NEH 1 11 ab97 translate-names אֲדֹנָ֗⁠י 1 Lord This term in Hebrew can be understood as either a noun with a pronoun suffix (“My Lord”) or as a simple title (“Lord”). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 1 11 ab99 figs-metonymy תְּהִ֣י נָ֣א אָזְנְ⁠ךָֽ־קַ֠שֶּׁבֶת 1 let your ear be attentive As in [1:6](../01/06.md), this phrase refers figuratively to the action of listening. Alternate translation: “please pay careful attention.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 11 jjm7 figs-123person תְּפִלַּ֨ת עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֜ 1 the prayer of your servant Alternate translation: “to my prayer” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 11 j433 תְּפִלַּ֣ת עֲבָדֶ֗י⁠ךָ 1 the prayer of your servants Here **servants** refers to the rest of the Israelite people who were also praying for Yahweh to act on behalf of his people and on behalf of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “and to the prayers of my fellow Israelites” NEH 1 11 hk3z figs-metonymy הַֽ⁠חֲפֵצִים֙ לְ⁠יִרְאָ֣ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔⁠ךָ 1 the ones who delight to fear your name Here **name** represents Yahweh himself. Alternate translation: “who are glad to honor you” or “who are eager to uphold your reputation” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 1 11 a11b figs-idiom הַֽ⁠חֲפֵצִים֙ 1 the ones who delight To delight in doing something means to be glad to do it and to want to do it. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 1 11 a13b לְ⁠יִרְאָ֣ה 1 to fear As in [1:5](../01/05.md), **fear** means to show respect and reverence. NEH 1 11 a15b figs-123person וְ⁠הַצְלִֽיחָ⁠ה־נָּ֤א לְ⁠עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֙ הַ⁠יּ֔וֹם וּ⁠תְנֵ֣⁠הוּ לְ⁠רַחֲמִ֔ים 1 cause your servant to succeed today and give him mercies Once again Nehemiah calls himself a **servant** to show respect to a superior. He then refers to himself in the third person (“give him”) to express humility before God. Alternate translation: “make me successful today and let the king be merciful to me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 11 a17b figs-parallelism וְ⁠הַצְלִֽיחָ⁠ה־נָּ֤א לְ⁠עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֙ הַ⁠יּ֔וֹם וּ⁠תְנֵ֣⁠הוּ לְ⁠רַחֲמִ֔ים 1 cause your servant to succeed today and give him mercies These two statements mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to emphasize how important it is for him to have God’s help. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “grant that the king will have mercy on me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 1 11 a19b figs-idiom הַ⁠יּ֔וֹם 1 today This does not necessarily mean on this same day. Rather, Nehemiah is praying that God will give him the opportunity to speak with the king soon about helping the Jews in Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “soon” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 1 11 kr99 figs-123person ⁠תְנֵ֣⁠הוּ לְ⁠רַחֲמִ֔ים 1 give him mercies Here **him** refers to Nehemiah, who refers to himself in the third person to express his humility before God. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 1 11 r7af bita-hq לִ⁠פְנֵ֖י הָ⁠אִ֣ישׁ הַ⁠זֶּ֑ה 1 before the face of this man Here **face** is a figurative way of referring to the action of seeing, and seeing is a figurative way of describing knowledge, perception, notice, attention, or judgment. In this context, Nehemiah is asking God to cause the king to make a favorable decision in response to a request he plans to make. Alternate translation: “Please grant that the king will agree to the request that I am going to make.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 1 11 a21b figs-explicit הָ⁠אִ֣ישׁ הַ⁠זֶּ֑ה 1 this man As we will discover in the next chapter, **this man** refers to Artaxerxes, the king of Persia. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “the king” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 1 11 h9hl writing-background וַ⁠אֲנִ֛י הָיִ֥יתִי מַשְׁקֶ֖ה לַ⁠מֶּֽלֶךְ 1 Now as for me, I was a cupbearer for the king This is background information about Nehemiah’s role in the king’s court. Your language may have a special way to mark background information. As a “cupbearer,” it was Nehemiah’s duty to serve the wine at the king's table, but he was much more than a waiter or butler. When the king gave him this assignment, this showed that he trusted Nehemiah completely to protect him from being poisoned. Nehemiah’s work also allowed him to see the king frequently and get to know him. So this was an important office. Alternate translation: “At that time, I was an important official who served the wine at the king’s table.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 2 intro mj1d 0 # Nehemiah 02 General Notes
## Structure and formatting

This chapter begins the account of the construction of the wall. Many scholars believe these chapters teach valuable lessons on leadership ([Nehemiah 2-6](./01.md)).

### Special concepts in this chapter

### Nehemiah’s character
Apparently, Nehemiah’s character made an impression on the king. It was very unusual for a king to be so concerned with one of his servants. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

### Cultural Customs
In ancient Persia, they thought it was important for their conquered peoples to practice their own cultural customs. It was thought that this independence promoted peace in their vast kingdom. The rebuilding of Jerusalem may have been seen as a way to allow for the Jewish cultural practices.

### Yahweh’s control
Yahweh is seen as very powerful. He is able to provide for his people, even through a foreign king. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/peopleofgod]]) NEH 2 1 a23b writing-newevent וַ⁠יְהִ֣י 1 Then it happened that Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next event in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses. Alternate translation: “Then one day” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 2 1 a25b figs-explicit בְּ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֗ן שְׁנַ֥ת עֶשְׂרִ֛ים לְ⁠אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ 1 in the month of Nisan, in year twenty of Artaxerxes the King Since there were twelve months in the Hebrew calendar, and it was still the same year in the reign of Artaxerxes, this means that four months had gone by since Hanani came and spoke with Nehemiah. The implication is that Nehemiah had been praying all this time, in the way described in chapter 1. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I prayed like this for four months.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 1 h3hu translate-hebrewmonths בְּ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֗ן 1 In the month of Nisan **Nisan** is the name of the first month of the Hebrew calendar. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]]) NEH 2 1 l63f translate-ordinal שְׁנַ֥ת עֶשְׂרִ֛ים לְ⁠אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ 1 in year twenty of Artaxerxes the king This is referring to the number of years that Artaxerxes had been reigning as king. Alternate translation: “in year 20 of the reign of Artaxerxes as the king of Persia” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 2 1 k1vf יַ֣יִן לְ⁠פָנָ֑י⁠ו 1 wine was before his face **Him** means King Artaxerxes. Alternate translation: “when it was time to serve him the wine” NEH 2 1 a27b bita-hq יַ֣יִן לְ⁠פָנָ֑י⁠ו 1 wine was before his face Here **face** is a figurative way of referring to the presence of a person. This sentence means that a time had come when Nehemiah needed to serve wine to the king. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hqt]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 1 a29b וָ⁠אֶשָּׂ֤א אֶת־הַ⁠יַּ֨יִן֙ וָ⁠אֶתְּנָ֣⁠ה לַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 I lifted the wine, and I gave it to the king Alternate translation: “I poured a cup of wine and gave it to the king.” NEH 2 1 a31b figs-idiom וְ⁠לֹא־הָיִ֥יתִי רַ֖ע לְ⁠פָנָֽי⁠ו 1 and I was not evil before his face In this context, **evil** refers to a person looking sad or upset. It does not mean morally bad. Alternate translation: “I did not look sad in his presence.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 1 a33b figs-explicit וְ⁠לֹא־הָיִ֥יתִי 1 and I was not The context suggests that **I was not** actually means “I had never been.” It seems that King Artaxerxes always wanted his officials to be cheerful in his presence. That is why Nehemaiah became afraid when the king asked him why he was sad. If it would make things clearer for your readers, you could say “I had never been.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 1 a35b bita-hq לְ⁠פָנָֽי⁠ו 1 before his face **Face** is a figurative way of referring to the presence of a person. Alternate translation: “in his presence” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 2 n5wy figs-explicit וַ⁠יֹּאמֶר֩ לִ֨⁠י הַ⁠מֶּ֜לֶךְ 1 And the king said to me The king must have noticed that Nehemiah looked sad because he asked about it. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “But the king noticed that on this day I did look sad. So he asked me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 2 ue51 figs-synecdoche מַדּ֣וּעַ׀ פָּנֶ֣י⁠ךָ רָעִ֗ים 1 Why is your face evil? The king refers to Nehemiah by one part of him, his **face**, because the face shows one’s emotions. Alternate translation: “Why are you sad” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 2 a37b figs-idiom מַדּ֣וּעַ׀ פָּנֶ֣י⁠ךָ רָעִ֗ים 1 Why is your face evil? As in verse 1, **evil** does not mean morally bad in this context. It refers to a person looking sad or upset. Alternate translation: “Why are you sad” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 2 a39b וְ⁠אַתָּה֙ אֵֽינְ⁠ךָ֣ חוֹלֶ֔ה 1 Now as for you, you are not sick Alternate translation: “I can tell that you are not sick.” NEH 2 2 g1k7 bita-hq אֵ֣ין זֶ֔ה כִּי־אִ֖ם רֹ֣עַֽ לֵ֑ב 1 This is nothing except evil of heart This phrase means “sadness of heart.” The king speaks as if Nehemiah’s heart were a living thing capable of having emotions. Alternate translation: “You must be very sad inside” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 2 2 a41b figs-doublenegatives אֵ֣ין זֶ֔ה כִּי־אִ֖ם רֹ֣עַֽ לֵ֑ב 1 This is nothing except evil of heart You can state this in a positive form: Alternate translation: “This can only be sadness” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublenegatives]]) NEH 2 2 eyt8 figs-explicit וָ⁠אִירָ֖א הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד 1 Then I was extremely much afraid The implication is that Nehemiah was very afraid because no one was supposed to look unhappy in the king’s presence. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “This made me very afraid, because no one was supposed to look unhappy in the king’s presence.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 3 qz4i figs-hyperbole הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ לְ⁠עוֹלָ֣ם יִחְיֶ֑ה 1 May the king live to eternity! Nehemiah is showing honor to King Artaxerxes. Here **to eternity** is an exaggeration that refers to a long life. Alternate translation: “Long live the king” or “May you have a long life” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 2 3 a43b figs-123person הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ לְ⁠עוֹלָ֣ם יִחְיֶ֑ה 1 May the king live to eternity! Nehemiah addresses the king in the third person as a sign of respect. You can indicate this respect by adding an expression such as “Your Majesty.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 2 3 klj6 figs-rquestion מַדּ֜וּעַ לֹא־יֵרְע֣וּ פָנַ֗⁠י 1 Why should not my face be evil Nehemiah is making a statement, not asking a question. He does not expect the king to give him reasons why he should not be sad. Instead, he is using the question form for emphasis. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate this as a statement. Alternate translation: “I am sorry, but I cannot help being sad.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 2 3 a45b figs-synecdoche מַדּ֜וּעַ לֹא־יֵרְע֣וּ פָנַ֗⁠י 1 Why should not my face be evil Nehemiah refers to himself by one part of him, his **face**, because the face shows one’s emotions. Alternate translation: “I have very good reasons to be sad” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 3 a47b figs-idiom מַדּ֜וּעַ לֹא־יֵרְע֣וּ פָנַ֗⁠י 1 Why should not my face be evil **Evil** does not mean morally bad in this context. It refers to a person looking sad or upset. Alternate translation: “I have very good reasons to be sad” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 3 a49b figs-explicit הָ⁠עִ֜יר…חֲרֵבָ֔ה 1 the city…is desolate **The city** means Jerusalem. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “the city of Jerusalem … lies in ruins” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 3 eh23 bita-manmade בֵּית־קִבְר֤וֹת אֲבֹתַ⁠י֙ 1 the house of the graves of my fathers **House** here is a figurative way of referring to a place. Alternate translation: “the place where my ancestors are buried” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 3 a51b bita-hq בֵּית־קִבְר֤וֹת אֲבֹתַ⁠י֙ 1 the house of the graves of my fathers **Fathers** here figuratively means “ancestors.” Alternate translation: “the place where my ancestors are buried” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 2 3 g7f4 figs-activepassive וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ אֻכְּל֥וּ בָ⁠אֵֽשׁ 1 its gates have been consumed by fire If it would be clearer in your language, you can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: “fire has destroyed its gates” or “our enemies have burned its gates” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 2 4 a53b עַל־מַה־זֶּ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ 1 For what is this you are seeking? Alternate translation: “What do you want me to do for you?” NEH 2 4 a55b figs-explicit וָֽ⁠אֶתְפַּלֵּ֔ל 1 And I prayed The implication is that Nehemiah prayed to God before he answered the king. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Before I answered him, I prayed” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 4 a57b אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַ⁠שָּׁמָֽיִם 1 the God of heaven Alternate translation: “the God who is in heaven” NEH 2 5 uv1p וָ⁠אֹמַ֣ר לַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 And I said to the king Alternate translation: “Then I replied to the king” NEH 2 5 a59b figs-idiom אִם־עַל־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב 1 If it is good to the king This is an idiom that means, “If it seems good in your judgment” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 5 a61b figs-123person אִם־עַל־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב 1 If it is good to the king Nehemiah speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. Alternate translation: “If it seems good in your judgment” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 2 5 ae4b bita-hq וְ⁠אִם־יִיטַ֥ב עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֖ לְ⁠פָנֶ֑י⁠ךָ 1 and if your servant is good before your face Here **face** figuratively means the presence of a person. So this could mean, “As I stand here before you.” But “face” could also be referring figuratively to the king himself by naming one part of him. What he thought and felt about Nehemiah’s request would become evident in his face first, so that would be an appropriate part of him to use to represent all of him. Alternate translation: “if you are pleased with me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 5 u2zy figs-123person וְ⁠אִם־יִיטַ֥ב עַבְדְּ⁠ךָ֖ לְ⁠פָנֶ֑י⁠ךָ 1 your servant Nehemiah refers to himself as **your servant** to show his submission to the king. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 2 5 a63b figs-idiom אֲשֶׁ֧ר תִּשְׁלָחֵ֣⁠נִי אֶל־יְהוּדָ֗ה 1 that you would send me to Judah Nehemiah is really asking for permission to go, rather than asking the king to send him. But as a sign of respect, he speaks as if the king would be taking the initiative. Alternate translation: “please allow me to go to Judah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 5 df8l עִ֛יר קִבְר֥וֹת אֲבֹתַ֖⁠י 1 the city of the graves of my fathers This is similar to [2:3](../02/03.md). Alternate translation: “the city where my ancestors are buried” NEH 2 5 l6nj figs-synecdoche וְ⁠אֶבְנֶֽ⁠נָּה 1 and I will build it Nehemiah does not plan to do all of the building himself, but he will be the leader of the work. Alternate translation: “that I and my people may rebuild it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 6 a65b figs-explicit וְ⁠הַ⁠שֵּׁגַ֣ל ׀ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶצְל֗⁠וֹ 1 with the queen sitting beside him This detail indicates that this was a private meal, since the queen probably did not attend public banquets with the king. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “This was a private meal, with the queen sitting next to the king.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 6 a67b figs-explicit וְ⁠הַ⁠שֵּׁגַ֣ל ׀ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶצְל֗⁠וֹ 1 with the queen sitting beside him The implication is that the private meal gave Nehemiah the opportunity to speak freely. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I was able to speak freely because this was a private meal, with the queen sitting next to the king.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 6 a69b figs-parallelism עַד־מָתַ֛י יִהְיֶ֥ה מַֽהֲלָכֲ⁠ךָ֖ וּ⁠מָתַ֣י תָּשׁ֑וּב 1 Until when will be your journey? And when will you return? These two phrases mean the same thing. The king says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to show that he is genuinely interested in Nehemiah’s situation. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “How long would you be away?” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 2 6 a71b figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּיטַ֤ב לִ⁠פְנֵֽי־הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ וַ⁠יִּשְׁלָחֵ֔⁠נִי 1 And it was good before the face of the king, and he sent me The implication is that Nehemiah told the king how long he would need to be away. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I told him how long I would be gone. That was acceptable to him, and he gave me permission to go.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 6 a73b figs-idiom וַ⁠יִּיטַ֤ב 1 And it was good As in verse 5, this is an idiom that means, “If it seems like a good idea to you.” Alternate translation: “That was acceptable.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 6 a75b figs-synecdoche לִ⁠פְנֵֽי־הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ 1 before the face of the king Nehemiah refers to the king by one part of him, his **face**, likely because the face shows one’s emotions. Alternate translation: “to him” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 6 a77b וַ⁠יִּשְׁלָחֵ֔⁠נִי 1 and he sent me As in [2:5](../02/05.md), Nehemiah was really asking for permission to go, rather than asking the king to send him. But as a sign of respect, he speaks as if the king took the initiative. Alternate translation: “he gave me permission to go” NEH 2 6 a79b וָֽ⁠אֶתְּנָ֥⁠ה ל֖⁠וֹ זְמָֽן 1 and I gave to him a time Alternate translation: “I told him what day I wanted to leave.” NEH 2 7 a81b וָ⁠אוֹמַר֮ 1 Then I said Alternate translation: “I also said” NEH 2 7 a83b אִם־עַל־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב 1 If it is good to the king Alternate translation: “If it seems like a good idea to you” NEH 2 7 a85b figs-123person עַל־הַ⁠מֶּ֣לֶךְ 1 to the king Nehemiah addresses the king in the third person as a sign of respect. Alternate translation: “to you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 2 7 rgj6 figs-activepassive אִגְּרוֹת֙ יִתְּנוּ־לִ֔⁠י 1 let letters be given to me You can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: “please give me letters” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 2 7 a87b עַֽל־פַּחֲו֖וֹת 1 for the governors Alternate translation: “that I can show to the governors” NEH 2 7 qp9n translate-names עֵ֣בֶר הַ⁠נָּהָ֑ר 1 Beyond-the-River This is the name of the Persian province that lay west of the Euphrates River. Alternate translation: “the province Beyond the River” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 7 a89b אֲשֶׁר֙ יַעֲבִיר֔וּ⁠נִי עַ֥ד אֲשֶׁר־אָב֖וֹא אֶל־יְהוּדָֽה 1 that they will bring me across as far as where I enter into Judah Nehemiah’s request is not for these governors to provide him with transportation. Nehemiah explains in [2:9](../02/09.md) that the king did that for him. These letter would instead request the governors to allow him safe passage through their provinces. Alternate translation: "Please tell them to give me safe passage through their provinces to Judah" NEH 2 8 a91b וְ⁠אִגֶּ֡רֶת אֶל־אָסָף֩ 1 and a letter to Asaph Nehemiah is continuing his requests to the king. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “Please also write a letter for me to Asaph” NEH 2 8 ar5v translate-names אָסָף֩ 1 Asaph This is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 8 a93b שֹׁמֵ֨ר 1 the keeper of Alternate translation: “the man who takes care of” NEH 2 8 a95b figs-explicit הַ⁠פַּרְדֵּ֜ס אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַ⁠מֶּ֗לֶךְ 1 the forest that belongs to the king The implication is that this forest was near where Nehemiah was going to need the wood. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “your royal forest in that area” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 8 a97b figs-123person הַ⁠פַּרְדֵּ֜ס אֲשֶׁ֣ר לַ⁠מֶּ֗לֶךְ 1 the forest that belongs to the king Nehemiah addresses the king in the third person as a sign of respect. Alternate translation: “your royal forest” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-123person]]) NEH 2 8 a99b אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתֶּן־לִ֣⁠י עֵצִ֡ים 1 that he will give to me timbers Alternate translation: “Please tell him to give me timber” NEH 2 8 ac11 figs-metonymy הַ⁠בִּירָ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־לַ⁠בַּ֨יִת֙ 1 the citadel, which is for the house As in [1:1](../01/01.md), **citadel** refers to a fortress or stronghold. “House” here figuratively describes the temple as the “house” where God lives. Alternate translation: “the fortress that is near the temple” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 2 8 ac13 וְ⁠לַ⁠בַּ֖יִת אֲשֶׁר־אָב֣וֹא אֵלָ֑י⁠ו 1 and for the house into which I will enter Alternate translation: “and for the house that I will live in” NEH 2 8 ac15 וַ⁠יִּתֶּן־לִ֣⁠י הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 And the king gave to me Alternate translation: “The king agreed to all of my requests.” NEH 2 8 wl1s figs-metaphor כְּ⁠יַד־אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽ⁠י 1 according to the good hand of my God upon me Here **hand** figuratively represents strength, power, control, or action. In this context, the expression means that God acted toward Nehemiah in a positive and favorable manner. Alternate translation: “because God’s favor was upon me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 8 ac17 grammar-connect-logic-result כְּ⁠יַד־אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֥ה עָלָֽ⁠י 1 according to the good hand of my God upon me If it would be clearer in your language, you can give this explanation (the reason) before the result that it accounts for, using a connecting word like “so.” Alternate translation: “God’s favor was upon me, and so the king agreed to all of my requests” (See: grammar-connect-logic-result) NEH 2 9 ac19 וָֽ⁠אָב֗וֹא אֶֽל־פַּֽחֲווֹת֙ עֵ֣בֶר הַ⁠נָּהָ֔ר 1 And I came to the governors of Beyond-the-River Alternate translation: “When I reached the province Beyond the River, I went to see its governors” NEH 2 9 ac21 translate-names עֵ֣בֶר הַ⁠נָּהָ֔ר 1 Beyond-the-River This is the name of a Persian province. See how you translated it in [2:7](../02/07.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 9 ac23 וָ⁠אֶתְּנָ֣⁠ה לָ⁠הֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אִגְּר֣וֹת הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶך 1 I gave to them the letters of the king Alternate translation: “I showed them the letters the king had given me.” NEH 2 9 ac25 figs-explicit וָ⁠אֶתְּנָ֣⁠ה לָ⁠הֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אִגְּר֣וֹת הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶך 1 I gave to them the letters of the king ' NEH 2 9 ac27 figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּשְׁלַ֤ח עִמִּ⁠י֙ הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׂ֥רֵי חַ֖יִל וּ⁠פָרָשִֽׁים 1 And the king sent with me officers of the army and horsemen The implication is that the king did this when Nehemiah left for Judah, and that the purpose was to protect him on his journey. If it would make things clearer for your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “When I left to travel to Judah, the king sent along some army officers and soldiers riding on horses to protect me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 9 ac29 figs-events וַ⁠יִּשְׁלַ֤ח עִמִּ⁠י֙ הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׂ֥רֵי חַ֖יִל וּ⁠פָרָשִֽׁים 1 And the king sent with me officers of the army and horsemen You can put this information first because it happened before Nehemiah showed his letters to the governors. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-events]]) NEH 2 10 ac31 figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּשְׁמַ֞ע סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַ⁠חֹרֹנִ֗י וְ⁠טֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָ⁠עֶ֣בֶד הָֽ⁠עַמֹּנִ֔י 1 Then Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, heard Sanballat was the governor of Samaria, the area right next to Judah. So he was one of the people Nehemiah would have shown a letter from the king authorizing his trip. If it would make things clearer for your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “This was how Sanballat the Horonite and his deputy Tobiah the Ammonite learned” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 10 yz8p translate-names סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַ⁠חֹרֹנִ֗י 1 Sanballat the Horonite Sanballat is the name of a man, and Horonite is the name of his people group. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 10 eh4c translate-names וְ⁠טֽוֹבִיָּה֙…הָֽ⁠עַמֹּנִ֔י 1 and Tobiah…the Ammonite Tobiah is the name of a man, and Ammonite is the name of his people group. Tobiah’s name occurs over a dozen times in the book of Nehemiah. It will be helpful to your readers if you translate it consistently each time. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 10 vb3p וְ⁠טֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָ⁠עֶ֣בֶד 1 and Tobiah, the servant From the role that Tobiah plays in the book, this phrase seems to indicate that he was the official who served directly under Sanballat. Alternate translation: “Tobiah, his deputy” NEH 2 10 ac33 figs-explicit וַ⁠יֵּ֥רַע לָ⁠הֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אָדָ֔ם לְ⁠בַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִ⁠בְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל 1 And it was evil to them, a great evil, that someone had come to seek good for the sons of Israel The implication is that Sanballat and Tobiah did not want to see Judah become strong again because that would be a threat to the power and influence of Samaria. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 10 ac35 figs-idiom וַ⁠יֵּ֥רַע לָ⁠הֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה 1 And it was evil to them, a great evil Here **evil** means “bad,” so this expression is the opposite of “if it is good to you” in [2:5](../02/05.md) and [2:7](../02/05.md). Alternate translation: “They thought it was a bad thing, a very bad thing” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 10 ac37 figs-doublet וַ⁠יֵּ֥רַע לָ⁠הֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה 1 And it was evil to them, a great evil These two short phrases mean almost the same thing. Nehemiah uses together for emphasis. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “they became very upset” or “they did not like it at all” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 2 10 ac39 figs-idiom אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אָדָ֔ם לְ⁠בַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִ⁠בְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל 1 that someone had come to seek good for the sons of Israel **To seek good for** means “to help.” Alternate translation: “that someone had come to help the people of Israel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 10 ac41 figs-gendernotations לִ⁠בְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל 1 for the sons of Israel As in [1:6](../01/06.md), **sons** means “descendants.” Alternate translation: “the people of Israel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]]) NEH 2 11 ac43 figs-explicit וָ⁠אָב֖וֹא אֶל־יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 And I came to Jerusalem Here the text might be implying that Nehemiah made it safely to Jerusalem anyway, despite the opposition of Sanballat and Tobiah. Alternate translation: “But I made it safely to Jerusalem despite their opposition.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 11 ac45 וָ⁠אֱהִי־שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֥ים שְׁלֹשָֽׁה 1 and I was there three days This phrase seems to look ahead to the next verse, and you could translate it that way and make it the start of the next sentence. Alternate translation: “After I had been there for three days” NEH 2 12 ac47 figs-explicit וָ⁠אָק֣וּם ׀ לַ֗יְלָה 1 Then I arose in the night The implication is that Nehemiah went out to inspect the city walls, as described in 1:13–15(../01/13.md). The implication is also that he did this at night so that no one would know he was doing it. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I got up secretly in the night to inspect the city walls.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 12 ac49 figs-gendernotations אֲנִי֮ וַ⁠אֲנָשִׁ֣ים ׀ מְעַט֮ עִמִּ⁠י֒ 1 myself and a few men with me The word **men** here could conceivably include both men and women. However, for a nighttime mission through the ruins of the city walls, it’s likely that Nehemiah brought along only other men. So in this context you could use a word that indicates that. Alternate translation: “I brought only a few other men with me.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]]) NEH 2 12 ac51 figs-hyperbole וְ⁠לֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתִּי לְ⁠אָדָ֔ם מָ֗ה אֱלֹהַ⁠י֙ נֹתֵ֣ן אֶל־לִבִּ֔⁠י לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת לִ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 and I did not tell anyone what my God had been giving to my heart to do for Jerusalem Probably Nehemiah told at least some people, since he brought a few men with him when he went out to inspect the walls. So “not … anyone” might be an exaggeration that emphasizes the secrecy Nehemiah maintained. Alternate translation: “I did not say publicly what God had led me to do for Jerusalem.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 2 12 ac53 grammar-connect-logic-result וְ⁠לֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתִּי לְ⁠אָדָ֔ם מָ֗ה אֱלֹהַ⁠י֙ נֹתֵ֣ן אֶל־לִבִּ֔⁠י לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת לִ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 and I did not tell anyone If it would be clearer in your language, you can give this explanation before describing Nehemiah’s night time mission, because it is the reason that explains the result of him maintaining so much secrecy. (See: grammar-connect-logic-result) NEH 2 12 s7mw figs-metaphor מָ֗ה אֱלֹהַ⁠י֙ נֹתֵ֣ן אֶל־לִבִּ֔⁠י לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת 1 had put into my heart Here Nehemiah’s **heart** figuratively represents his thoughts and will. Alternate translation: “what God had inspired me to do” or “what God had led me to do” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 12 wd63 figs-explicit וּ⁠בְהֵמָה֙ אֵ֣ין עִמִּ֔⁠י 1 Now there was no animal with me The implication is that this was another measure to maintain secrecy. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “To keep things quiet, there were no other animals with me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 13 au61 figs-synecdoche וָ⁠אֵצְאָ֨⁠ה 1 I went out Even though he brought a few men with him, Nehemiah says “I” because he was the primary person conducting this inspection. In this narrative, he represents the entire group. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say “we” in your translation to express this meaning. If your language makes this distinction, “we” would not include the addressee. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 13 ac55 translate-names בְ⁠שַֽׁעַר־הַ⁠גַּ֜יא 1 at the gate of the valley This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “at the Valley Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 13 ac57 figs-metonymy וְ⁠אֶל־פְּנֵי֙ עֵ֣ין הַתַּנִּ֔ין 1 even to the face of the spring of the dragon Here **face** figuratively means the front of an object. This means that the group passed in front of the well. Alternate translation: “we went past the Dragon Well” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 2 13 pt1h translate-names עֵ֣ין הַתַּנִּ֔ין 1 the spring of the dragon This is the name of a spring-fed well outside Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Dragon Well” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 13 mif3 translate-names וְ⁠אֶל־שַׁ֖עַר הָ⁠אַשְׁפֹּ֑ת 1 and to the gate of dung This is the name of another one of the gates of Jerusalem. It seems that rubbish was removed from the city through this gate. Alternate translation: “the Rubbish Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 13 ac59 וָ⁠אֱהִ֨י שֹׂבֵ֜ר בְּ⁠חוֹמֹ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ 1 And I was looking intently at the walls of Jerusalem Alternate translation: “We made a careful inspection of the walls of Jerusalem.” NEH 2 13 a8u1 figs-activepassive אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם פְּרוּצִ֔ים וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ אֻכְּל֥וּ בָ⁠אֵֽשׁ 1 that they were broken down, and its gates had been consumed by fire You can use active forms to express the meaning of these two passive verbs. Alternate translation: “which our enemies had broken open, and the wooden gates which they had destroyed with fire” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 2 14 l39v figs-synecdoche וָ⁠אֱהִ֨י עֹלֶ֤ה בַ⁠נַּ֨חַל֙ לַ֔יְלָה וָ⁠אֱהִ֥י שֹׂבֵ֖ר בַּ⁠חוֹמָ֑ה וָ⁠אָשׁ֗וּב וָ⁠אָב֛וֹא בְּ⁠שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠גַּ֖יְא וָ⁠אָשֽׁוּב 1 Then I crossed to Nehemiah continues to speak of himself as representative of the whole group. Alternate translation: “Then we came to” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 14 ac61 translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הָ⁠עַ֔יִן 1 the gate of the spring This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Fountain Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 14 ac63 translate-names בְּרֵכַ֖ת הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶךְ 1 the pool of the king This is the name of a pool outside Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Royal Pool” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 14 ac65 וְ⁠אֵין־מָק֥וֹם לַ⁠בְּהֵמָ֖ה לַ⁠עֲבֹ֥ר תַּחְתָּֽ⁠י 1 but there was no place for the animal under me to pass Alternate translation: “The opening there was so narrow that the animal I was riding could not get through.” NEH 2 15 ac67 grammar-connect-logic-result וָ⁠אֱהִ֨י עֹלֶ֤ה בַ⁠נַּ֨חַל֙ לַ֔יְלָה וָ⁠אֱהִ֥י שֹׂבֵ֖ר בַּ⁠חוֹמָ֑ה וָ⁠אָשׁ֗וּב וָ⁠אָב֛וֹא בְּ⁠שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠גַּ֖יְא וָ⁠אָשֽׁוּב 1 And I was going up by the wadi at night Nehemiah is saying that because they could not continue going along the wall, they had to take a different route. You could use an introductory word like “so” to indicate this. Alternate translation: “So we followed the path of the Kidron Brook” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result]]) NEH 2 15 ac69 figs-synecdoche וָ⁠אֱהִ֨י עֹלֶ֤ה 1 And I was going up Nehemiah continues to speak of himself as representative of the whole group. Alternate translation: “So we followed” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 15 ac71 translate-unknown בַ⁠נַּ֨חַל֙ 1 by the wadi This refers to the Kidron Brook, which runs along the eastern side of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Kidron Brook” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 2 15 ac73 figs-explicit לַ֔יְלָה 1 at night The implication may be, “even though it was night.” The slippery, uneven ground of the path along the brook would have been more dangerous in the dark. (Nehemiah is writing a chronicle of all the things he did to help the Jews, and he records specific things that required risk or sacrifice.) Alternate translation: “even though it was night.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 15 ac75 figs-explicit וָ⁠אֱהִ֥י שֹׂבֵ֖ר בַּ⁠חוֹמָ֑ה 1 and I was looking intently at the wall The implication is that from the brook they were able to look up at the wall and see its condition. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “From there we were able to look up at the wall and see its condition.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 15 ac77 וָ⁠אָשׁ֗וּב 1 Then I turned back This likely means not that Nehemiah turned around, but that this route brought him and the other men back to where they started. So they were able to go all the way around the city and inspect the entire wall. Alternate translation: “This route brought us back to where we started.” NEH 2 15 ac79 figs-synecdoche וָ⁠אָשׁ֗וּב 1 Then I turned back The other men with Nehemiah also followed him. Alternate translation: “This route brought us back to where we started.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 15 b637 וָ⁠אָב֛וֹא בְּ⁠שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠גַּ֖יְא 1 and I came in at the gate of the valley Alternate translation: “We re-entered the city through the Valley Gate” NEH 2 15 ac81 translate-names בְּ⁠שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠גַּ֖יְא 1 at the gate of the valley See how you translated the name of this gate in [2:13](../02/13.md). Alternate translation: “the Valley Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 15 ac83 figs-explicit וָ⁠אָשֽׁוּב 1 and I returned Here the expression probably means “and I went back home.” The implication is that no one had seen him. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “and I went back home without being seen.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 16 ac85 וְ⁠הַ⁠סְּגָנִ֗ים 1 Now the prefects Alternate translation: “the city officials” NEH 2 16 ac87 figs-explicit עַד־כֵּ֖ן לֹ֥א הִגַּֽדְתִּי 1 until this time I had not yet told The implication is that Nehemiah had not yet told anyone that he was planning to repair the walls. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. I Alternate translation: “had not yet told … that I was planning to repair the walls.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 16 ac89 figs-explicit וְ⁠לַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֨ים וְ⁠לַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֜ים וְ⁠לַ⁠חֹרִ֣ים וְ⁠לַ⁠סְּגָנִ֗ים 1 the Jews, the priests, or the nobles, or the perfects The implication seems to be that Nehemiah had not said anything privately about his plans to any particular group of leaders. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “I had not even said anything about it privately to the Jewish leaders, the priests, the leading citizens, or the city officials” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 16 ac91 figs-synecdoche וְ⁠לַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֨ים 1 the Jews While this expression means “the Jewish people” in most of the book, in the contexts here and in [5:17](../05/17.md) it seems to mean “the Jewish leaders.” Nehemiah is describing some members of this people group, its leaders, as if they were the whole group. Alternate translation: “the Jewish leaders” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 2 16 xd75 figs-explicit וּ⁠לְ⁠יֶ֨תֶר֙ עֹשֵׂ֣ה הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֔ה 1 the rest who were about to do the work This seems to refer to the people who would later rebuild the walls. Alternate translation: “the others who would later do the work of rebuilding the walls” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 17 ac93 figs-explicit וָ⁠אוֹמַ֣ר אֲלֵ⁠הֶ֗ם 1 Then I said to them This might imply a contrast between what Nehemiah did previously (kept quiet) and what he did now (told everyone). You could use a word like “but” to indicate this. Alternate translation: “But now I said to them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 17 ac95 figs-abstractnouns אַתֶּ֤ם רֹאִים֙ הָ⁠רָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲנַ֣חְנוּ בָ֔⁠הּ 1 You see the evil that we are in As in [1:3](../01/03.md), here the abstract noun **evil** does not refer to something morally bad, but to a difficult situation. You can translate this idea with an adjective such as “desperate.” Alternate translation: “You see what a desperate situation we are in” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 2 17 we6m figs-you אַתֶּ֤ם רֹאִים֙ הָ⁠רָעָה֙ 1 You see the evil Here **you** is plural, referring to all the people mentioned in [2:16](../02/16.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-you]]) NEH 2 17 ac97 figs-activepassive יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ נִצְּת֣וּ בָ⁠אֵ֑שׁ 1 Jerusalem is desolate and its gates have been burned by fire If it would be clearer in your language, you could express the meaning here using active forms. Alternate translation: “Jerusalem lies in ruins, and our enemies have burned down its gates” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 2 17 f468 figs-explicit יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ חֲרֵבָ֔ה וּ⁠שְׁעָרֶ֖י⁠הָ נִצְּת֣וּ בָ⁠אֵ֑שׁ 1 Jerusalem is desolate and its gates have been burned by fire The implication is, “We need to do something about this!” If it would be clearer in your language, you could add something like that explicitly. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 17 ac99 לְכ֗וּ וְ⁠נִבְנֶה֙ אֶת־חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם 1 Come, and let us build the wall of Jerusalem **Come** does not mean “come over to this place” but “come on, let’s do this!” Nehemiah is issuing both an invitation and a public challenge to everyone who is listening. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could translate his words in a way that reflects this. Alternate translation: “I challenge all of you to join me in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem.” NEH 2 17 ll6y figs-abstractnouns וְ⁠לֹא־נִהְיֶ֥ה ע֖וֹד חֶרְפָּֽה 1 and we will no longer be a reproach You can translate the idea behind the abstract noun “reproach” with an adjective such as “ashamed.” Alternate translation: “so we will no longer be ashamed” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 2 18 twi7 figs-metaphor יַ֣ד אֱלֹהַ֗⁠י אֲשֶׁר־הִיא֙ טוֹבָ֣ה עָלַ֔⁠י 1 the hand of my God, that it was good upon me Here hand is a metaphor meaning strength, power, control, or action. In this context, it means that God had been acting toward Nehemiah in a positive and favorable manner. See how you translated the similar expression in [2:8](../02/08.md). Alternate translation: “God’s favor had been upon me” or “God had been helping me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 18 a11c דִּבְרֵ֥י הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמַר־לִ֑⁠י 1 the words of the king that he had spoken to me Alternate translation: “I also told them how the king had given me permission to come.” NEH 2 18 a13c figs-explicit נָק֣וּם וּ⁠בָנִ֔ינוּ 1 We will rise up and build The implication is that the people responded this way after they heard all that God had done for Nehemiah. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “When they heard this, they said, ‘Let’s get going and begin building!’” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 18 a15c figs-idiom נָק֣וּם וּ⁠בָנִ֔ינוּ 1 We will rise up and build In this context, **rise up** means to begin something. This was an enthusiastic response. Alternate translation: “Let’s get going and start building!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 18 y6ui figs-idiom וַ⁠יְחַזְּק֥וּ יְדֵי⁠הֶ֖ם לַ⁠טּוֹבָֽה 1 And they strengthened their hands for good The phrase “strengthened their hands” means that they encouraged one another. “For good” refers to the rebuilding project, which they recognized would be a great benefit. Alternate translation: “So they prepared themselves to do this good work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 18 a17c bita-hq יְדֵי⁠הֶ֖ם 1 their hands **Hand** in this context represents a person’s strength or power. Alternate translation: “they prepared themselves” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 19 et87 translate-names סַנְבַלַּ֨ט הַ⁠חֹרֹנִ֜י 1 Sanballat the Horonite Sanballat is the name of a man, and Horonite is the name of his people group. See how you translated this in [2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 19 a19c translate-names וְ⁠טֹבִיָּ֣ה…הָֽ⁠עַמּוֹנִ֗י 1 and Tobiah…the Ammonite Tobiah is the name of a man, and Ammonite is the name of his people group. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 19 a21c וְ⁠טֹבִיָּ֣ה ׀ הָ⁠עֶ֣בֶד 1 and Tobiah, the servant See how you translated this in [2:10](../02/10.md). Alternate translation: “Tobiah, his deputy” NEH 2 19 cxe8 translate-names וְ⁠גֶ֨שֶׁם֙ הָֽ⁠עַרְבִ֔י 1 and Geshem the Arabian Geshem is the name of a man, and Arabian is the name of his people group. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 2 19 a23c figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּשְׁמַע֩ 1 Then…heard The implication is that these men learned that the Jews in Jerusalem had started to rebuild the city walls. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “learned that we had started to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 19 a25c figs-parallelism וַ⁠יַּלְעִ֣גוּ לָ֔⁠נוּ וַ⁠יִּבְז֖וּ עָלֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 and they mocked us, and they despised us These two statements mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to emphasize how contemptuous and dismissive these enemies were being. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “they ridiculed us mercilessly,” otherwise “they made fun of us and ridiculed us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 2 19 ww1k figs-rquestion מָֽה־הַ⁠דָּבָ֤ר הַ⁠זֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים הַ⁠עַ֥ל הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ אַתֶּ֥ם מֹרְדִֽים 1 What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king? These enemies are not asking questions that they expect Nehemiah to answer. They are using the question form to mock him. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could translate their words as statements. Alternate translation: “What you are doing is not going to amount to anything! But you should not be rebelling against the king!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 2 19 u8ri figs-explicit מָֽה־הַ⁠דָּבָ֤ר הַ⁠זֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים 1 What is this thing that you are doing? The implication is that this **thing** is really “nothing” at all. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “What you are doing is not going to amount to anything!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 20 a27c figs-explicit וָ⁠אָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜⁠ם דָּבָ֗ר וָ⁠אוֹמַ֤ר לָ⁠הֶם֙ 1 Then I returned them a word, and I said to them This might imply a contrast between the intimidation his enemies wanted him to feel and the courage that God gave him. You could use a word like “but” to indicate this contrast. Alternate translation: “But in response I said” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 2 20 a29c figs-parallelism וָ⁠אָשִׁ֨יב אוֹתָ֜⁠ם דָּבָ֗ר וָ⁠אוֹמַ֤ר לָ⁠הֶם֙ 1 Then I returned them a word, and I said to them These two statements mean similar things. Nehemiah says the same thing twice, in slightly different ways, to emphasize how firmly he responded to these enemies. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “But I answered them firmly” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 2 20 a31c אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַ⁠שָּׁמַ֔יִם ה֚וּא יַצְלִ֣יחַֽ לָ֔⁠נוּ 1 The God of heaven, he will cause us to succeed Alternate translation: “The God who is in heaven will enable us to complete this project.” NEH 2 20 a33c figs-metaphor וַ⁠אֲנַ֥חְנוּ עֲבָדָ֖י⁠ו נָק֣וּם וּ⁠בָנִ֑ינוּ 1 we ourselves, his servants, will rise up and build As in [1:6](../01/06.md), the word **servants** refers to the special role that the people of Israel had in the world as a model community of God’s followers. Alternate translation: “we are his chosen people, and we are going to begin rebuilding” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 2 20 iv9x figs-idiom נָק֣וּם וּ⁠בָנִ֑ינוּ 1 will arise and build As in [2:18](../02/18.md), **rise up** means to begin something. Alternate translation: “going to begin rebuilding” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 2 20 a4e6 figs-doublet וְ⁠לָ⁠כֶ֗ם אֵֽין־חֵ֧לֶק וּ⁠צְדָקָ֛ה וְ⁠זִכָּר֖וֹן בִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 But you have no share, no right, and no historic claim in Jerusalem The terms **share**, **right**, and **memorial** all mean something similar. Nehemiah uses them together for emphasis. The meanings are not entirely certain. “Share” may suggest that the Samaritans are not part of the community. “Right” may mean that they have no legal basis to say what should happen in Jerusalem. “Memorial” could mean that they had have no role in the city’s history, or that there is no record of their Israelite ancestry. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these terms. Alternate translation: “But you have absolutely nothing to do with what happens in Jerusalem.” (Note: A doublet can involve the use of more than two terms.) (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 2 20 a35c figs-abstractnouns וְ⁠לָ⁠כֶ֗ם אֵֽין־חֵ֧לֶק וּ⁠צְדָקָ֛ה וְ⁠זִכָּר֖וֹן בִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 But you have no share, no right, and no historic claim in Jerusalem Depending on their meaning, the terms “share,” “right,” and “memorial” may be abstract nouns. If so, you could translate the idea behind them with a phrase that expresses their overall meaning. Alternate translation: “But you have absolutely nothing to do with what happens in Jerusalem.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 3 intro dfw6 0 # Nehemiah 03 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Priests
The priests worked on rebuilding the city. Normally, the priests were exempt from this type of work. Because they helped, it emphasizes that this is a holy work and something done for Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/priest]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/holy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

### Cooperation
Everyone worked on this project. Many names are mentioned to emphasize the cooperation between the different families. Each was given a section of the wall to rebuild. NEH 3 1 ald8 figs-explicit וַ⁠יָּ֡קָם אֶלְיָשִׁיב֩ הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֨ן הַ⁠גָּד֜וֹל 1 And Eliashib the high priest rose up This chapter records the names of the people who repaired the wall of Jerusalem, and it describes what parts of the wall they worked on. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly at the start of the chapter. (In this book Nehemiah records everything he did to help the people of Judah, and he prays that God will remember him and bless him for what he did. We see in this chapter that he also wants God to remember and bless everyone else who helped.) Alternate translation: “These are the names of the people who helped to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Now Eliashib the high priest rose up” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 1 a37c figs-idiom וַ⁠יָּ֡קָם 1 And…rose up As in [2:18](../02/18.md), **rise up** here means to begin something. Alternate translation: “began to” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 3 1 g9az translate-names אֶלְיָשִׁיב֩ 1 Eliashib This is the name of a man. It occurs about a dozen times in the book of Nehemiah. It will be helpful to your readers if you translate it consistently each time. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 1 a39c translate-unknown הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֨ן הַ⁠גָּד֜וֹל 1 the high priest This means that Eliashib was the leader of the priests who conducted worship in the temple and performed many other religious and community functions. Alternate translation: “the priest who was in charge in the temple” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 1 a41c bita-hq וְ⁠אֶחָ֣י⁠ו הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֗ים 1 with his brothers the priests Here **brother** could mean Eliashib’s biological brothers, but more likely it figuratively refers to the rest of the priests. Alternate translation: “with his fellow priests” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 3 1 a43c figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּבְנוּ֙ 1 and they built It is clear from the context that they were not building something brand new. Rather, they were rebuilding the walls that had been knocked down. This expression occurs several times in this chapter. It would be helpful to your readers to translate it consistently. Alternate translation: “rebuilt.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 1 a45c translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠צֹּ֔אן 1 the gate of the sheep This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Sheep Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 1 a47c translate-symaction הֵ֣מָּה קִדְּשׁ֔וּ⁠הוּ 1 They themselves consecrated it **Consecrate** means to set something apart for a special purpose. The Sheep Gate was the gate closest to the temple. By dedicating it to God, the priests were symbolically dedicating the entire wall to God. The rebuilt wall would define and protect the city of Jerusalem as the place from which God had chosen to start making himself famous throughout the world, as described in [1:9](../01/09.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]]) NEH 3 1 a49c figs-explicit הֵ֣מָּה קִדְּשׁ֔וּ⁠הוּ 1 They themselves consecrated it If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say explicitly that by dedicating the Sheep Gate to God, the priests were symbolically dedicating the entire wall to God. Alternate translation: “They dedicated this gate to God as a symbolic way of dedicating the entire wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 1 a51c וַֽ⁠יַּעֲמִ֖ידוּ דַּלְתֹתָ֑י⁠ו 1 and erected its doors **Its** refers to the Sheep Gate. “Erected” means “set up” or “set in place.” This expression occurs several times in this chapter. It would be helpful to your readers to translate it consistently. Alternate translation: “set the doors in place.” NEH 3 1 a7k9 figs-ellipsis וְ⁠עַד־מִגְדַּ֤ל הַ⁠מֵּאָה֙ קִדְּשׁ֔וּ⁠הוּ עַ֖ד מִגְדַּ֥ל חֲנַנְאֵֽל 1 And they consecrated it as far as the tower of the Hundred and as far as the tower of Hananel In this record of people who helped rebuild the wall, Nehemiah is writing more of a list than a narrative, so he often leaves out one or more words that a sentence normally would have in order to be complete. This sentence seems to mean, “They rebuilt the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and beyond that to the Tower of Hananel. Then they dedicated that part of the wall to God as well.” You could say something like that if it would be helpful to your readers. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 1 e1th translate-names מִגְדַּ֤ל הַ⁠מֵּאָה֙…מִגְדַּ֥ל חֲנַנְאֵֽל 1 the tower of the Hundred…the tower of Hananel These are the names of two of the towers on the Jerusalem wall. Alternate translation: “the Tower of the Hundred…the Tower of Hananel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 1 r9wn translate-unknown מִגְדַּ֤ל הַ⁠מֵּאָה֙ 1 the tower of the Hundred It is not clear why this tower had this name. The tower could have been 100 cubits high (about 150 feet or about 45 meters), or 100 soldiers may have been stationed there. Since the reason is unknown, it might be best just to call this the “Tower of the Hundred.” However, if it would be confusing to your readers not to explain the meaning of the number, you suggest one of these possibilities. Alternate translation: “The Tower of the Hundred Soldiers” or “The Hundred-Cubit Tower.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 2 xtj9 bita-hq וְ⁠עַל־יָד֥⁠וֹ בָנ֖וּ 1 And…built at his hand Here **at his hand** is a figurative way of saying “beside him” or “next to him.” This expression occurs several times in this chapter. It would be helpful to your readers to translate it consistently. Alternate translation: “next to them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 3 2 qf25 figs-gendernotations אַנְשֵׁ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ 1 men of Jericho The word **men** here can include women, and it does seem to include them in this context. Elsewhere in this chapter, [3:12](../02/12.md) tells us that “Shallum and his daughters repaired part of the wall.” So we know that both men and women worked on this project. Alternate translation: “people from Jericho” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]]) NEH 3 2 u2s6 translate-names יְרֵח֑וֹ 1 Jericho Jericho is the name of one of the cities in Judah. We see from this chapter that several cities and towns sent work parties to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 2 q84s translate-names זַכּ֖וּר בֶּן־אִמְרִֽי 1 Zaccur, the son of Imri Zaccur is the name of a man, and Imri is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 3 bbm9 translate-names הַ⁠סְּנָאָ֑ה 1 Hassenaah Hassenaah is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 3 if44 translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠דָּגִ֔ים 1 the gate of fish This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Fish Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 3 kxd6 וַֽ⁠יַּעֲמִ֨ידוּ֙ דַּלְתֹתָ֔י⁠ו מַנְעוּלָ֖י⁠ו וּ⁠בְרִיחָֽי⁠ו 1 They themselves laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars This expression occurs several times in this chapter. It would be helpful to your readers to translate it consistently. Alternate translation: “They framed it with wooden beams, they set its doors in place, and they installed bolts and bars” NEH 3 3 kc48 figs-explicit מַנְעוּלָ֖י⁠ו וּ⁠בְרִיחָֽי⁠ו 1 its bolts, and its bars Bolts and bars locked the gates securely. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “bolts and bars for locking the gate.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 3 nn6j figs-ellipsis הֶחֱזִ֗יק…הֶחֱזִ֔יק 1 strengthened…strengthened **Strengthened** means “repaired.” It refers to repairing the wall, although Nehemiah does not specify this. This expression occurs several times in this chapter. It would be helpful to your readers to translate it consistently. Alternate translation: “repaired the next section of of the wall” (See: Ellipsis) NEH 3 4 c8hi translate-names מְרֵמ֤וֹת בֶּן־אוּרִיָּה֙ בֶּן־הַקּ֔וֹץ 1 Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz Meremoth is the name of a man, Uriah is the name of his father, and Hakkoz is the name of his grandfather. Alternate translation: “Meremoth, the son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 4 inh2 translate-names מְשֻׁלָּ֥ם בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָ֖ה בֶּן־מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵ֑ל 1 Meshullam, the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel Meshullam is the name of a man, Berechiah is the name of his father, and Meshezabel is the name of his grandfather. Alternate translation: “Meshullam, the son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 4 xn3i translate-names צָד֖וֹק בֶּֽן־בַּעֲנָֽא 1 Zadok, the son of Baana Zadok is the name of a man, and Baana is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 5 d8sa figs-ellipsis הֶחֱזִ֣יקוּ הַ⁠תְּקוֹעִ֑ים 1 Tekoites repaired These phrases refer to repairing the wall. Alternate translation: “Tekoites repaired the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 5 j3k4 translate-names הַ⁠תְּקוֹעִ֑י 1 the Tekoites Tekoa is the name of one of the cities in Judah that sent a work party to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The Tekoites are the people who came from this city. Alternate translation: “some people from Tekoa” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 5 x484 grammar-connect-logic-contrast וְ⁠אַדִּֽירֵי⁠הֶם֙ 1 but their nobles Here Nehemiah is indicating a contrast between what these people should have done and what they actually did. You can use a word like “but” to indicate this. Alternate translation: “But the leading citizens of Tekoa” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast]]) NEH 3 5 l7zc figs-explicit לֹא־הֵבִ֣יאוּ צַוָּרָ֔⁠ם בַּ⁠עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֲדֹנֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 did not bring their necks to the service of their lords Nehemiah does not state the reason why the nobles did not do the work, but it is implied. Alternate translation: “were too proud to do the work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 5 nsg3 figs-metonymy לֹא־הֵבִ֣יאוּ צַוָּרָ֔⁠ם בַּ⁠עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֲדֹנֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 did not bring their necks to the service of their lords Here the **neck** represents the entire person, and specifically the person at work. The neck is likely associated with work because in this agrarian culture, draft animals would put their necks into yokes so that they could pull plows and drag loads. Alternate translation: “were too proud to do the work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 3 5 r94d translate-unknown בַּ⁠עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֲדֹנֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 to the service of their lords **Lords** here most likely refers to the leaders of Judah, who had asked all the surrounding cities and towns to send work parties to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Another possibility is that the plural form of the word “lord” actually refers to God. Alternate translation: “the work that the leaders of Judah had asked them to do” or “the service of their Lord” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 5 d3h9 figs-abstractnouns בַּ⁠עֲבֹדַ֖ת 1 to…service of **Service** is an abstract noun that refers to the work of rebuilding the wall. You can translate the idea behind it with a concrete noun such as “work.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 3 6 ykz8 translate-names שַׁ֨עַר הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה 1 the gate of old This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Old Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 6 i43m translate-names יֽוֹיָדָע֙ בֶּן־פָּסֵ֔חַ 1 Joiada, the son of Paseah Joiada is the name of a man, and Paseah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 6 n1wi translate-names וּ⁠מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם בֶּן־בְּסֽוֹדְיָ֑ה 1 and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah Meshullam is the name of a man, and Besodeiah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 7 hu9u translate-names מְלַטְיָ֣ה הַ⁠גִּבְעֹנִ֗י 1 Melatiah the Gibeonite Melatiah is the name of a man. “Gibeonite” means that he was from the city of Gibeon. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 7 ipe7 translate-names וְ⁠יָדוֹן֙ הַ⁠מֵּרֹ֣נֹתִ֔י 1 Jadon the Meronothite Jadon is the name of a man. “Meronothite” probably means that he was from the town of Meronoth. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 7 n6xg translate-names אַנְשֵׁ֥י גִבְע֖וֹן וְ⁠הַ⁠מִּצְפָּ֑ה 1 the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah Gibeon and Mizpah were two of the cities in Judah that sent work parties to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “other people from Gibeon and from the city of Mizpah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 7 mj92 translate-unknown לְ⁠כִסֵּ֕א פַּחַ֖ת עֵ֥בֶר הַ⁠נָּהָֽר 1 to the seat of authority of the governor of Beyond-the-River This is where the governor would have stayed when visiting Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “as far as the residence of the governor of the province Beyond the River” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 8 b2yh translate-names עֻזִּיאֵ֤ל בֶּֽן־חַרְהֲיָה֙ 1 Uzziel, the son of Harbaiah Uzziel is the name of a man, and Harhaiah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 8 f4p5 translate-unknown צֽוֹרְפִ֔ים 1 of the goldsmiths This means that Uzziel was one of the goldsmiths who worked in Jerusalem. A goldsmith is a person who makes jewelry and other objects from gold. The term “goldsmith” occurs several more times in the chapter, and if you include both the name and the definition here, that would help your readers understand it in its later occurrences. Alternate translation: “He was one of the goldsmiths, the workers who made jewelry and other objects from gold.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 8 mx88 translate-names חֲנַנְיָ֖ה 1 Hananiah Hananiah is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 8 mm1q bita-hq בֶּן־הָ⁠רַקָּחִ֑ים 1 a son of the perfumers **Son of** here is a figurative expression that indicates that a person shares the qualities of something. In this case, the book is describing someone who shares the quality of being a maker of perfume. Alternate translation: “one of the perfumers” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 3 8 y25y translate-names וַ⁠יַּֽעַזְבוּ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם עַ֖ד הַ⁠חוֹמָ֥ה הָ⁠רְחָבָֽה 1 And they restored Jerusalem as far as the broad wall This is the name of one of the features of the Jerusalem wall. This may have been a place where the wall had been built thicker and stronger for strategic purposes. Alternate translation: “They rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 9 m5at וְ⁠עַל־יָדָ֤⁠ם הֶחֱזִיק֙ רְפָיָ֣ה בֶן־ח֔וּר שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 And Rephaiah, the son of Hur, the administrator for half of the district of Jerusalem, strengthened at their hand. In this chapter, when Nehemiah names a person, then names their father, and then describes a role, it is the first person, not their father, who was in that role. It will be helpful to your readers if you make this clear. Alternate translation: “Next to them, Rephaiah the son of Hur repaired part of the wall. Rephaiah ruled half of the district of Jerusalem.” NEH 3 9 avu2 translate-names רְפָיָ֣ה בֶן־ח֔וּר 1 Rephaiah, the son of Hur Rephaiah is the name of a man, and Hur is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 9 rd4i translate-fraction חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם 1 half of the district of Jerusalem The city of Jerusalem and the surrounding area seem to have been divided into districts for administration. This is the name of one of those districts. Apparently it was so large and populous that it had been further divided into two parts, each with its own administrator. Alternate translation: “ruled half the district of Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 3 10 k6g1 translate-names יְדָיָ֥ה בֶן־חֲרוּמַ֖ף 1 Jedaiah, the son of Harumaph Jedaiah is the name of a man, and Harumaph is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 10 v3be וְ⁠עַל־יָדָ֧⁠ם הֶחֱזִ֛יק…וְ⁠נֶ֣גֶד בֵּית֑⁠וֹ 1 And…at their hand, even in fron of his house Alternate translation: “repaired the next part of the wall, which was in front his house” NEH 3 10 ek5q translate-names חַטּ֖וּשׁ בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְנְיָֽה 1 And Hattush, the son of Hashabneiah Hattush is the name of a man, and Hashabneiah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 11 b6fx translate-ordinal מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֗ית 1 a second section This expression occurs six times in the chapter. Two of those times, someone who has been named earlier is said to have repaired “a second section,” suggesting, “in addition to the one they did previously.” But the other four times, the people have not been named earlier. So in those cases it might mean “a further section of the wall,” beyond the one just described that someone else worked on. Both of these likely meanings could be accommodated by saying something like “another section of the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 3 11 g61e translate-names מַלְכִּיָּ֣ה בֶן־חָרִ֔ם 1 Malkijah, the son of Harim Malkijah is the name of a man, and Malkijah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 11 jy16 translate-names וְ⁠חַשּׁ֖וּב בֶּן־פַּחַ֣ת מוֹאָ֑ב 1 and Hasshub, the son of Pahath-Moab Hasshub is the name of a man, and Pahath-Moab is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 11 l1db translate-names מִגְדַּ֥ל הַ⁠תַּנּוּרִֽים 1 the tower of ovens This is the name of one of the towers of the Jerusalem wall. Alternate translation: “the Tower of the Ovens” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 12 e9p4 translate-names שַׁלּוּם֙ בֶּן־הַלּוֹחֵ֔שׁ שַׂ֕ר 1 Shallum, the son of Hallohesh Shallum is the name of a man, and Hallohesh is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 12 wml3 translate-names שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֣לֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 the administrator for half of the district of Jerusalem This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. Since the first half has already been named, you could say as an alternate translation: “Shallum ruled the other half of the district of Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 12 b7iq ה֖וּא וּ⁠בְנוֹתָֽי⁠ו 1 he and his daughters Alternate translation: “along with his daughters” NEH 3 13 i9v2 translate-names שַׁ֨עַר הַ⁠גַּ֜יְא 1 the gate of the valley This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Valley Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 13 itt7 translate-names חָנוּן֮ 1 Hanun This is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 13 w5le translate-names וְ⁠יֹשְׁבֵ֣י זָנוֹחַ֒ 1 the inhabitants of Zanoah Zanoah is the name of one of the cities in Judah that sent a work party to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the people from Zanoah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 13 kw6h translate-bdistance וְ⁠אֶ֤לֶף אַמָּה֙ 1 a thousand cubits Depending on what would be most helpful to your readers, you could express this either in ancient or modern measurements, “1000 cubits” or “460 meters” or “1500 feet.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-bdistance]]) NEH 3 13 r9e4 translate-names שַׁ֥עַר הָ⁠שֲׁפֽוֹת 1 the gate of dung This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Rubbish Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 14 d9dt translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הָ⁠אַשְׁפּ֗וֹת 1 the gate of dung This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Rubbish Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 14 w494 translate-names מַלְכִּיָּ֣ה בֶן־רֵכָ֔ב שַׂ֖ר 1 Malkijah, the son of Rechab Malkijah is the name of a man, and Recab is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 14 u2dk translate-names פֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּית־הַכָּ֑רֶם 1 the district of Beth-Hakkerem This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 15 shf9 translate-names שַׁ֨עַר הָ⁠עַ֜יִן 1 the gate of the spring This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Fountain Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 15 l7wu translate-names שַׁלּ֣וּן בֶּן־כָּל־חֹזֶה֮ 1 Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh Shallun is the name of a man, and Kol-Hozeh is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 15 bd9j translate-names פֶּ֣לֶךְ הַ⁠מִּצְפָּה֒ 1 the district of Mizpah This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 15 l3hf ה֤וּא יִבְנֶ֨⁠נּוּ֙ וִ⁠יטַֽלְלֶ֔⁠נּוּ 1 He himself was building it and covering it Alternate translation: “He rebuilt the gate and put a roof over it” NEH 3 15 c8rt חוֹמַ֞ת בְּרֵכַ֤ת הַ⁠שֶּׁ֨לַח֙ 1 the wall of the pool of Siloam Alternate translation: “the wall that surrounded the Pool of Siloam” NEH 3 15 kmx6 לְ⁠גַן־הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ וְ⁠עַד־הַֽ⁠מַּעֲל֔וֹת הַ⁠יּוֹרְד֖וֹת מֵ⁠עִ֥יר דָּוִֽיד 1 at the garden of the king even as far as the stairs descending from the city of David Alternate translation: “next to the royal garden, as far as the steps that went down from the City of David.” NEH 3 15 c5bs translate-names מֵ⁠עִ֥יר דָּוִֽיד 1 from the city of David This was one part of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the City of David” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 16 x774 translate-names נְחֶמְיָ֣ה בֶן־עַזְבּ֔וּק שַׂ֕ר 1 Nehemiah, the son of Azbuk Nehemiah is the name of a man, and Azbuk is the name of his father. (This is not the same Nehemiah who wrote this book.) (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 16 sc4c translate-names פֶּ֣לֶךְ בֵּֽית־צ֑וּר 1 the district of Beth-Zur This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 16 ngr2 עַד־נֶ֨גֶד֙ קִבְרֵ֣י דָוִ֔יד וְ⁠עַד־הַ⁠בְּרֵכָה֙ הָ⁠עֲשׂוּיָ֔ה וְ⁠עַ֖ד בֵּ֥ית הַ⁠גִּבֹּרִֽים 1 as far as in front of the graves of David, and as far as the pool that was made, and as far as the house of the mighty men Alternate translation: “as far as the place opposite the tombs in the City of David, to the reservoir that the people had made and the army barracks” NEH 3 17 str7 translate-names אַחֲרָ֛י⁠ו הֶחֱזִ֥יקוּ הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֖ם 1 After him, the Levites strengthened The Levites were descendants of Levi. They had the special assignment of helping the priests. Alternate translation: “Next to him, some Levites repaired parts of the wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 17 l6vw translate-names רְח֣וּם בֶּן־בָּנִ֑י 1 Rehum, the son of Bani Rehum is the name of a man, and Bani is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 17 yt87 figs-explicit רְח֣וּם בֶּן־בָּנִ֑י 1 Rehum, the son of Bani It seems clear from the context that Rehum was a Levite. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “One of them was Rehum the son of Bani.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 17 a88s translate-names חֲשַׁבְיָ֛ה 1 Hashabiah Hashabiah is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 17 yh3z עַל־יָד֣⁠וֹ הֶחֱזִ֗יק חֲשַׁבְיָ֛ה…לְ⁠פִלְכּֽ⁠וֹ 1 at his hand, Hashabiah…strengthened for his district This does not mean that Hashabiah repaired this part of the wall for the benefit of his district, but rather that he did it leading a work party from his district. Alternate translation: “led a work party from his district that repaired the next section of the wall” NEH 3 17 y3tu translate-names חֲצִי־פֶ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָ֖ה 1 half the district of Keilah This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 18 h5qz bita-hq הֶחֱזִ֣יקוּ אֲחֵי⁠הֶ֔ם 1 their brothers repaired As in [3:1](../03/01.md), **brother** could mean the biological brothers of the Levites mentioned in [3:17](../03/17.md). However, more likely it figuratively means other Levites. Alternate translation: “some other Levites repaired more of the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 3 18 b6sj figs-ellipsis בַּוַּ֖י בֶּן־חֵנָדָ֑ד שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָֽה 1 Binnui, the son of Henadad, the administrator for half the district of Keilah Here Nehemiah does not say “at their hand” (next to them) or “strengthened” (repaired another section of the wall). Once again he is leaving out some of what a complete sentence would be expected to contain. You can fill in this information. Alternate translation: “Next to them, Binnui the son of Henadad, who ruled the other half of the district of Keilah, repaired more of the wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 18 gc2h translate-names בַּוַּ֖י בֶּן־חֵנָדָ֑ד 1 Binnui, the son of Henadad Binnui is the name of a man, and Henadad is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 18 ca6t translated-nam שַׂ֕ר חֲצִ֖י פֶּ֥לֶךְ קְעִילָֽה 1 the administrator for half the district of Keilah This is the name of one of the districts into which the city and the surrounding area were divided. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 19 f6if translate-names עֵ֧זֶר בֶּן־יֵשׁ֛וּעַ שַׂ֥ר 1 Ezer, the son of Jeshua Ezer is the name of a man, and Jeshua is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 19 g2y6 translate-names שַׂ֥ר הַ⁠מִּצְפָּ֖ה 1 the administrator for Mizpah Since the district of Mizpah is mentioned in [3:15](../03/15.md), this probably means the city of Mizpah. Alternate translation: “Ezer ruled the city of Mizpah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 19 gcc6 translate-ordinal וַ⁠יְחַזֵּ֨ק…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑ית 1 And…was strengthening a second section Alternate translation: “repaired another section” (See: Ordinal Numbers) NEH 3 19 c8s5 מִ⁠נֶּ֕גֶד עֲלֹ֥ת הַ⁠נֶּ֖שֶׁק הַ⁠מִּקְצֹֽעַ 1 opposite the ascent to the armory at the angle Alternate translation: “He started from the place in front of the steps that went up to the armory, and he finished at the place where the wall bends slightly.” NEH 3 20 r638 translate-names בָּר֥וּךְ בֶּן־זבי 1 Baruch, the son of Zabbai Baruch is the name of a man, and Zabbai is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 20 i7kj figs-metaphor הֶחֱרָ֧ה 1 burned Here **burned** is probably a figurative way of saying that Baruch worked with great enthusiasm. You could say that as an alternate translation. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 3 20 a53c translate-ordinal הֶחֱזִ֛יק…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑ית 1 strengthened a second section Alternate translation: “repaired another section” (See: Ordinal Numbers) NEH 3 20 a55c מִן־הַ֨⁠מִּקְצ֔וֹעַ עַד־פֶּ֨תַח֙ בֵּ֣ית אֶלְיָשִׁ֔יב הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֖ן הַ⁠גָּדֽוֹל 1 from the angle as far as the opening of the house of Eliashib the high priest Alternate translation: “from the bend in the wall as far as the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest” NEH 3 21 z4b7 translate-names מְרֵמ֧וֹת בֶּן־אוּרִיָּ֛ה בֶּן־הַקּ֖וֹץ 1 Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz Meremoth is the name of a man, Uriah is the name of his father, and Hakkoz is the name of his grandfather. See how you translated these names in [3:4](../03/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 21 a57c translate-ordinal הֶחֱזִ֗יק…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑ית 1 strengthened a section section Alternate translation: “repaired another section” (See: Ordinal Numbers) NEH 3 21 a59c מִ⁠פֶּ֨תַח֙ בֵּ֣ית אֶלְיָשִׁ֔יב וְ⁠עַד־תַּכְלִ֖ית בֵּ֥ית אֶלְיָשִֽׁיב 1 from the opening of the house of Eliashib even as far as the end of the house of Eliashib Alternate translation: “from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of his house” NEH 3 22 m3ey הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֖ים אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַ⁠כִּכָּֽר 1 the priests, the men of the valley Jerusalem is up on a mountain, so the area around it would be “the valley.” Alternate translation: “some priests from the area around Jerusalem” NEH 3 23 q2zh הֶחֱזִ֧יק בִּנְיָמִ֛ן וְ⁠חַשּׁ֖וּב נֶ֣גֶד בֵּיתָ֑⁠ם 1 strengthened in front of their house Alternate translation: “repaired a section opposite their house” NEH 3 23 v3fr translate-names בִּנְיָמִ֛ן וְ⁠חַשּׁ֖וּב 1 Benjamin and Hasshub Benjamin and Hasshub are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 23 z8p6 הֶחֱזִ֗יק…אֵ֥צֶל בֵּיתֽ⁠וֹ 1 strengthened beside his house Alternate translation: “repaired the next section, beside his house” NEH 3 23 gv74 translate-names עֲזַרְיָ֧ה בֶן־מַעֲשֵׂיָ֛ה בֶּן־עֲנָֽנְיָ֖ה 1 Azariah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah Azariah is the name of a man, Maaseiah is the name of his father, and Ananiah is the name of his grandfather. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 24 c3eh translate-ordinal הֶחֱזִ֗יק…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑ית 1 strengthened a second section Alternate translation: “repaired another section” (See: Ordinal Numbers) NEH 3 24 ajs6 translate-names בִּנּ֛וּי בֶּן־חֵנָדָ֖ד 1 Binnui, the son of Henadad Binnui is the name of a man, and Henadad is the name of his father. See how you translated these names in [3:18](../03/18.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 24 k7tj מִ⁠בֵּ֣ית עֲזַרְיָ֔ה עַד־הַ⁠מִּקְצ֖וֹעַ וְ⁠עַד־הַ⁠פִּנָּֽה 1 from the house of Azariah to the bend in the wall as far as the corner Alternate translation: “from the house of Azariah to the bend in the wall as far as the bulwark” NEH 3 24 a61c translate-names עֲזַרְיָ֔ה 1 Azariah Azariah is a man, the same one mentioned in verse 23. NEH 3 25 q3r3 translate-names פָּלָ֣ל בֶּן־אוּזַי֮ 1 Palal, the son of Uzai Palal is the name of a man, and Uzai is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 25 dae6 figs-ellipsis מִ⁠נֶּ֣גֶד הַ⁠מִּקְצוֹעַ֒ וְ⁠הַ⁠מִּגְדָּ֗ל הַ⁠יּוֹצֵא֙ 1 from opposite the angle and the tower projecting Here again Nehemiah leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “He began at the place opposite the bend in the wall where the watchtower is taller than” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 25 pt6e figs-metonymy מִ⁠בֵּ֤ית הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ הָֽ⁠עֶלְי֔וֹן 1 from the upper house of the king Probably **house** figuratively means “palace” here, referring to where the king had lived. Alternate translation: “the upper palace of the king” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 3 25 isu9 אֲשֶׁ֖ר לַ⁠חֲצַ֣ר הַ⁠מַּטָּרָ֑ה 1 which is by the court of the guard Alternate translation: “That is near the place where the guards stayed” NEH 3 25 a63c translate-names פְּדָיָ֥ה בֶן־פַּרְעֹֽשׁ 1 Pedaiah, the son of Parosh Pedaiah is the name of a man, and Parosh is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 25 d1jm figs-ellipsis פְּדָיָ֥ה בֶן־פַּרְעֹֽשׁ 1 Pedaiah, the son of Parosh Once again Nehemiah leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “Next to him, Pedaiah the son of Parosh repaired a section” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 26 b53g figs-ellipsis וְ⁠הַ֨⁠נְּתִינִ֔ים הָי֥וּ יֹשְׁבִ֖ים בָּ⁠עֹ֑פֶל עַ֠ד נֶ֜גֶד שַׁ֤עַר הַ⁠מַּ֨יִם֙ לַ⁠מִּזְרָ֔ח וְ⁠הַ⁠מִּגְדָּ֖ל הַ⁠יּוֹצֵֽא 1 And the Nethinim were living in the Ophel, as far as in front of the gate of water and the projecting tower Yet again Nehemiah leaves out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. Alternate translation: “The temple servants who lived on Ophel Hill repaired the wall as far as the eastern side of the Water Gate where there is a tall tower” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 3 26 ah1b translate-names וְ⁠הַ֨⁠נְּתִינִ֔ים 1 Now the temple servants The term **Nethinim** describes servants who worked in the temple. Alternate translation: “the temple servants” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 26 mz47 translate-unknown בָּ⁠עֹ֑פֶל 1 in the Ophel This is probably the name of a geographic feature, a fortified extension of the hill that the Jerusalem temple was located on. Alternate translation: “Ophel Hill” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 3 26 s2s5 translate-names שַׁ֤עַר הַ⁠מַּ֨יִם֙ 1 the gate of water This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Water Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 26 rvu2 וְ⁠הַ⁠מִּגְדָּ֖ל הַ⁠יּוֹצֵֽא 1 and the projecting tower The phrase refers to a tall tower that juts out from the wall. Alternate translation: “a tall tower” NEH 3 27 d719 translate-ordinal הֶחֱזִ֥יקוּ…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑ית 1 strengthened a second section Alternate translation: “repaired another section of the wall” (See: Ordinal Number) NEH 3 27 mgm7 translate-names הַ⁠תְּקֹעִ֖ים 1 the Tekoites Tekoa is the name of one of the cities in Judah that sent a work party to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The Tekoites were the people who lived there. See how you translated this name in verse [3:5](../03/05.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 27 j6gz מִ⁠נֶּ֜גֶד הַ⁠מִּגְדָּ֤ל הַ⁠גָּדוֹל֙ הַ⁠יּוֹצֵ֔א וְ⁠עַ֖ד חוֹמַ֥ת הָ⁠עֹֽפֶל 1 from in front of the high projecting tower even as far as the wall of the Ophel Alternate translation: “from opposite the very tall watchtower as far as the wall at Ophel Hill” NEH 3 28 wt87 figs-synecdoche הַ⁠כֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים 1 The priests This does not mean all the priests. Nehemiah is using the name of the whole group to refer to part of it. Alternate translation: “a group of priests” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 3 28 d5qa מֵ⁠עַ֣ל׀ שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠סּוּסִ֗ים 1 from above the gate of horses The word **above** is used here because the houses of the priests were likely located at a higher elevation than the Horse Gate. Alternate translation: “starting at the Horse Gate” NEH 3 28 q9qb translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠סּוּסִ֗ים 1 the gate of horses This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Horse Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 28 d5uv figs-idiom אִ֖ישׁ לְ⁠נֶ֥גֶד בֵּיתֽ⁠וֹ 1 a man to the front of his house Here **a man** means “each one.” Alternate translation: “Each one repaired the section in front of his own house.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 3 29 n271 translate-names צָד֥וֹק בֶּן־אִמֵּ֖ר 1 Zadok, the son of Immer Zadok is the name of a man, and Immer is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 29 f74e translate-names שְׁמַֽעְיָ֣ה בֶן־שְׁכַנְיָ֔ה שֹׁמֵ֖ר שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠מִּזְרָֽח 1 Shemaiah, the son of Shecaniah Shemaiah is the name of a man, and Shecaniah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 29 e9mh שֹׁמֵ֖ר שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠מִּזְרָֽח 1 the keeper of the gate of the east Alternate translation: “the person who looked after the East Gate” or “the person who opened and closed the East Gate” NEH 3 29 x9q4 translate-names שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠מִּזְרָֽח 1 the gate of the east This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the East Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 30 a65c translate-ordinal הֶחֱזִ֜יק…מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑י 1 strengthened a second section Alternate translation: “repaired another section” (See: Ordinal Numbers) NEH 3 30 r5y4 translate-names חֲנַנְיָ֣ה בֶן־שֶׁלֶמְיָ֗ה 1 Hananiah, the son of Shelemiah Hananiah is the name of a man, and Shelemiah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 30 a67c translate-names וְ⁠חָנ֧וּן בֶּן־צָלָ֛ף הַ⁠שִּׁשִּׁ֖י 1 and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph Hanun is the name of a man, and Zalaph is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 30 nn44 translate-ordinal הַ⁠שִּׁשִּׁ֖י 1 sixth Alternate translation: “son 6” or “son number 6” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 3 30 ifp5 translate-names מְשֻׁלָּם֙ בֶּן־בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה 1 Meshullam, the son of Berechiah Meshullam is the name of a man, and Berechiah is the name of his father. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 30 bv3t נֶ֖גֶד נִשְׁכָּתֽ⁠וֹ 1 in front of his chamber Alternate translation: “in front of the rooms where he stayed” NEH 3 31 d33p translate-names מַלְכִּיָּה֙ 1 Malkijah Malkijah is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 31 uuc7 bita-hq בֶּן־הַ⁠צֹּ֣רְפִ֔י 1 a son of the goldsmiths As in [3:8](../03/08.md), this is a figurative way of saying that Malkijah was one of the goldsmiths. In this figure of speech, the “son of” something shares its qualities. Since the goldsmiths have been mentioned previously (in [3:8](../03/08.md), where their work is described), you could say as an alternate translation: “who was another one of the goldsmiths” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 3 31 lb9z עַד־בֵּ֥ית הַ⁠נְּתִינִ֖ים וְ⁠הָ⁠רֹכְלִ֑ים 1 as far as the house of the Nethinim and the merchants Alternate translation: “as far as the building used by the temple servants and the merchants” NEH 3 31 ye2u translate-names שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠מִּפְקָ֔ד 1 the gate of mustering This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. “Mustering” refers to soldiers assembling to go out to battle. Alternate translation: “the Mobilization Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 3 31 r6sv וְ⁠עַ֖ד עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַ⁠פִּנָּֽה 1 even as far as the upper chamber of the corner Alternate translation: “He built as far as the upper apartments of this building, which were on the corner.” NEH 3 32 x1tq figs-explicit וּ⁠בֵ֨ין עֲלִיַּ֤ת הַ⁠פִּנָּה֙ לְ⁠שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠צֹּ֔אן הֶחֱזִ֥יקוּ 1 strengthened between the upper chamber of the corner to the gate of sheep This brings the description of the repairs back around to where they started. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this explicitly by saying “the last section.” Alternate translation: “repaired the last section of the wall, from the corner apartments to the Sheep Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 3 32 p1kr figs-synecdoche הַ⁠צֹּרְפִ֖ים וְ⁠הָ⁠רֹכְלִֽים 1 the goldsmiths and the merchants This does not mean all the goldsmiths and all the merchants. Nehemiah is once again using the names of whole groups to refer to parts of them. Alternate translation: “some of the other goldsmiths, along with some traders” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 3 32 a69c translate-names לְ⁠שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠צֹּ֔אן 1 the gate of sheep This is the name of one of the gates of Jerusalem. Alternate translation: “the Sheep Gate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 4 intro tlj9 0 # Nehemiah 04 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Dedication
The people were so dedicated to rebuilding the walls that they worked with their weapons ready for battle right next to them. Even when they were threatened with an attack, they continued to trust in Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/trust]])

## Important figures of speech in this chapter

### Rhetorical Questions

Sanballat uses a series of rhetorical questions. These are intended to show his intense anger against the Israelites. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 4 1 rnw3 וַ⁠יְהִ֞י 1 And it happened that Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next event in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 4 1 vfu4 translate-names סַנְבַלַּ֗ט 1 Sanballat This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 4 1 a71c figs-parallelism And it burned him, and he was very angry These two phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize how angry Sanballat was. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases and say something like “he became furiously angry” or “he became very angry.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 4 1 s6td bita-phenom וַ⁠יִּ֣חַר ל֔⁠וֹ וַ⁠יִּכְעַ֖ס 1 it burned him, and he was very angry Here Nehemiah says that Sanballat’s anger was a fire that burned inside of him. Alternate translation: “he became furious” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-phenom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 2 v3qv bita-hq וַ⁠יֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י 1 And he spoke before the face of Here **face** figuratively represents the presence of a person. The expression means that Sanballat was speaking personally to the other people who are named. Alternate translation: “He said to” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 2 a73c bita-hq אֶחָ֗י⁠ו 1 his brothers Here **brother** likely refers figuratively to Sanballat’s fellow officials. Alternate translation: “the other provincial officials” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]]) and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 2 a75c figs-synecdoche וְ⁠חֵיל֙ שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן 1 and the army of Samaria Sanballat was not speaking to the entire army. Nehemiah is figuratively using all of something to mean part of it. He is referring to the officers of the army by the name of the entire army. Alternate translation: “the army officers” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 2 d5n2 figs-rquestion מָ֛ה הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֥ים הָ⁠אֲמֵלָלִ֖ים עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲ⁠יַעַזְב֨וּ לָ⁠הֶ֤ם הֲ⁠יִזְבָּ֨חוּ֙ הַ⁠יְכַלּ֣וּ בַ⁠יּ֔וֹם 1 What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they restore for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Sanballat actually is making a series of statement, not asking a series of questions. He does not expect the officials and officers to tell him what the Jews are doing and whether they will succeed. Instead, he is using the question form to mock the Jews. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate the ideas in his questions as a series of statements. Alternate translation: “These feeble Jews can accomplish nothing. They will never restore the city for themselves. They will not offer sacrifices. They will not finish the work any time soon.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 4 2 r9lb הֲ⁠יִזְבָּ֨חוּ֙ 1 Will they sacrifice? The meaning of this phrase is not entirely clear. It could be that Sanballat is speaking of the Jews offering sacrifices to try to entice God to make their project successful. Alternate translation: “They will not get their God to help them.” NEH 4 2 uk3w figs-idiom הַ⁠יְכַלּ֣וּ בַ⁠יּ֔וֹם 1 Will they finish in a day? In this context, the expression “day” means “a short time.” Alternate translation: “any time soon” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 2 ps9n figs-rquestion הַ⁠יְחַיּ֧וּ אֶת־הָ⁠אֲבָנִ֛ים מֵ⁠עֲרֵמ֥וֹת הֶ⁠עָפָ֖ר וְ⁠הֵ֥מָּה שְׂרוּפֽוֹת 1 Will they bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned? NEH 4 2 hr7v figs-personification הַ⁠יְחַיּ֧וּ אֶת־הָ⁠אֲבָנִ֛ים מֵ⁠עֲרֵמ֥וֹת הֶ⁠עָפָ֖ר וְ⁠הֵ֥מָּה שְׂרוּפֽוֹת 1 Will they bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned? Here Sanballat is speaking of stones as if they could come to life and stand up straight to form the wall. Alternate translation: “They will not be able to rebuild the city walls from useless stones that were burned and turned into rubble” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 4 2 b96n figs-activepassive מֵ⁠עֲרֵמ֥וֹת הֶ⁠עָפָ֖ר וְ⁠הֵ֥מָּה שְׂרוּפֽוֹת 1 from the piles of rubble after they were burned If it would be clearer in your language, you could say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “useless stones that someone has burned and turned into rubble” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 4 3 alw5 translate-names וְ⁠טוֹבִיָּ֥ה הָ⁠עַמֹּנִ֖י 1 And Tobiah the Ammonite This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 4 3 b24b גַּ֚ם 1 Yes This word indicates that Tobiah agrees with Sanballat and that he is going to say something to support him. Alternate translation: “That’s right!” NEH 4 3 da2t figs-hyperbole אִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה שׁוּעָ֔ל וּ⁠פָרַ֖ץ חוֹמַ֥ת אַבְנֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 If only a fox went up on what they are building, then he would break down their wall of stones Tobiah probably does not believe that the wall would really fall down if a fox walked along the top of it. He is exaggerating to mock the work the Jews are doing. You could use a non-figurative expression in your translation instead, such as, “It wouldn’t take much to make that wall fall over.” However, Tobiah’s expression is so colorful that you may want to retain it, but be sure that your readers understand he is exaggerating. Alternate translation: “Tobiah made fun of the Jews by saying, ‘That wall they are building is so weak that if a fox climbed up on it, the stones would fall to the ground’” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 4 4 buk3 figs-explicit שְׁמַ֤ע אֱלֹהֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ 1 Hear, our God Nehemiah starts talking directly to God at this point in the book. The implication is that he heard about what Sanballat and Tobiah were saying, and in response, he prayed the prayer that is recorded here in 2:4-5. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “When I heard about what they were saying, I prayed and said, ‘Listen, our God’” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 4 a77c figs-aside שְׁמַ֤ע אֱלֹהֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ 1 Hear, our God Nehemiah’s prayer here is a particular type of aside. In an aside, someone who is speaking to or about one person or group will pause and speak confidentially to somebody else about them. Often an aside is spoken to the audience of a work about someone who is being addressed within the work. But in this case, Nehemiah pauses from addressing the audience that is hearing his story to speak confidentially to God in prayer about two of the characters in the story. If it would be clearer in your language, you could show this is a prayer is distinct from the story by making it a direct quotation. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-aside]]) NEH 4 4 ae62 figs-abstractnouns הָיִ֣ינוּ בוּזָ֔ה 1 we are a contempt The abstract noun **contempt** refers to the way Sanballat and Tobiah regarded the Jews, which led them to make fun of them. You can translate the idea behind this term with a verb like “mocking.” Alternate translation: “our enemies are mocking us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 4 4 z6nz figs-idiom וְ⁠הָשֵׁ֥ב חֶרְפָּתָ֖⁠ם אֶל־רֹאשָׁ֑⁠ם 1 and cause their taunts to return on their heads! **Return on his head** is an idiom that means that what a person expected to happen to someone else happens to them instead. Alternate translation: “Make them people whom others will mock” (See: Idiom) NEH 4 4 pgh8 figs-abstractnouns וּ⁠תְנֵ֥⁠ם לְ⁠בִזָּ֖ה בְּ⁠אֶ֥רֶץ שִׁבְיָֽה 1 And give them for plunder in a land of captivity As in [1:2](../01/02.md), the abstract noun **captivity** refers to a conquering army forcing all or some of a captured population to move to a different place. You can translate the idea behind it with verbs such as “capture” and “force.” Alternate translation: “Allow their enemies to capture them and force them to go to a foreign land” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 4 5 mc9p figs-parallelism וְאַל־תְּכַס֙ עַל־עֲוֺנָ֔ם וְחַטָּאתָ֖ם מִלְּפָנֶ֣יךָ אַל־תִּמָּחֶ֑ה 1 And do not cover over their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before your face These two phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize how guilty Sanballat and Tobiah are for opposing the work that God has sent him to do. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “do not ever forgive them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 4 5 zz8h figs-metaphor וְאַל־תְּכַס֙ עַל־עֲוֺנָ֔ם 1 Do not cover over their iniquity Nehemiah speaks of a person’s sins as if they were an object that could be physically hidden. Alternate translation: “do not forgive their sins” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 5 k9rw figs-metaphor וְ⁠חַטָּאתָ֖⁠ם…אַל־תִּמָּחֶ֑ה 1 and do not wipe out their sin Nehemiah speaks of a person’s sins as if they were something written that could be erased. Alternate translation: “do not forget their sins” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 5 a79c bita-hq מִ⁠לְּ⁠פָנֶ֣י⁠ךָ 1 from before your face Here **face** figuratively means the action of seeing or a person’s notice or attention. A person can see what is in front of their face, so in this case the expression means, “from where you can see it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 5 mbi1 כִּ֥י הִכְעִ֖יסוּ לְ⁠נֶ֥גֶד הַ⁠בּוֹנִֽים 1 for they have provoked anger before the front of the builders This expression could mean a number of things: (1) They have caused others to be angry at the people who are rebuilding the wall. This third possibility seems the most likely, since Nehemiah is praying that what these men are trying to do to others will happen to them. His prayer is presumably not that the builders or God will make Sanballat and Tobiah angry, but that the other nations they are trying to recruit will turn against them. Alternate translation: “they have caused others to be angry at the people who are rebuilding the wall” (2) Sanballat and Tobiah have made the builders angry by mocking them. Alternate translation: “they have made the builders become angry” (3) They have made God angry by opposing the work he has commanded Nehemiah to do. Alternate translation: “they have made you become angry” NEH 4 6 r475 וַ⁠נִּבְנֶה֙ אֶת־הַ֣⁠חוֹמָ֔ה 1 So we built the wall As in chapter 3, it might be helpful to say “rebuilt.” The Jews were not building something brand new. See the note to [3:1](../03/01.md). NEH 4 6 mhm5 figs-activepassive וַ⁠תִּקָּשֵׁ֥ר כָּל־הַ⁠חוֹמָ֖ה עַד־חֶצְיָ֑⁠הּ 1 and all the wall was joined together to half its height You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “we filled in the breaks as high as halfway up the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 4 6 a81c figs-explicit וַ⁠תִּקָּשֵׁ֥ר כָּל־הַ⁠חוֹמָ֖ה עַד־חֶצְיָ֑⁠הּ 1 and all the wall was joined together It appears from the context that this likely took some time and perseverance after Sanballat and Tobiah began to mock and oppose the project. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “after some time, we filled in the breaks” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 6 ef8p translate-fraction עַד־חֶצְיָ֑⁠הּ 1 half its height “Half” means one part out of two equal parts. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 4 6 a83c bita-hq וַ⁠יְהִ֧י לֵ֦ב לָ⁠עָ֖ם לַ⁠עֲשֽׂוֹת 1 And the heart of the people was for working Here the **heart** figuratively represents the thoughts and the will of the people. Alternate translation: “Everyone was determined to accomplish this.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 7 a85c writing-newevent וַ⁠יְהִ֣י 1 Then it happened Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next event in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 4 7 a87c translate-names סַנְבַלַּ֡ט וְ֠⁠טוֹבִיָּה 1 Sanballat, and Tobiah This are the names of men. See how you translated them in [2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 4 7 a89c translate-names וְ⁠הָ⁠עַרְבִ֨ים וְ⁠הָ⁠עַמֹּנִ֜ים וְ⁠הָ⁠אַשְׁדּוֹדִ֗ים 1 and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites These are the names of people groups. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 4 7 a91c figs-personification עָלְתָ֤ה אֲרוּכָה֙ לְ⁠חֹמ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם 1 the health of the walls of Jerusalem was going up Here Nehemiah is speaking of the wall around Jerusalem as if it was a living thing that was sick because it was broken down. Nehemiah speaks of the repairs to the wall as if the wall is becoming healthy again. Alternate translation: “we were continuing to repair the walls of Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 4 7 a93c bita-part1 עָלְתָ֤ה 1 was going up Alternate translation: “was increasing” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-part1]]) NEH 4 7 a95c figs-activepassive כִּי־הֵחֵ֥לּוּ הַ⁠פְּרֻצִ֖ים לְ⁠הִסָּתֵ֑ם 1 and the breaks were beginning to be closed You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “we were continuing to … fill in the gaps” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 4 7 gsb7 bita-phenom וַ⁠יִּ֥חַר לָ⁠הֶ֖ם מְאֹֽד 1 that…it burned them exceedingly Here Nehemiah says that the anger of these enemies was a fire that burned inside of them. Alternate translation: “they became very angry” or “they became enraged” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-phenom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 8 b6im figs-metonymy לְ⁠הִלָּחֵ֣ם בִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 to fight against Jerusalem Here **Jerusalem** refers to the people who live there. These enemies were not coming to fight against the walls and buildings. Nehemiah is describing the people of Jerusalem figuratively by reference to something associated with them, the city where they live. Alternate translation: “to fight against the people of Jerusalem” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 4 8 a97c figs-abstractnouns וְ⁠לַ⁠עֲשׂ֥וֹת ל֖⁠וֹ תּוֹעָֽה 1 and to make confusion for it The abstract noun **confusion** refers to the way these enemies hoped that their attack would make the people of Jerusalem not know what to do. The people might disagree among themselves about whether they should keep working on the wall, or whether they should discontinue the work to appease the attackers. They might also disagree about how to defend themselves. You can translate the idea behind the term “confusion” with adjectives such as “confused” and “divided.” Alternate translation: “They wanted to make the people inside the city confused and divided.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 4 9 vz1d וַ⁠נַּעֲמִ֨יד מִשְׁמָ֧ר עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֛ם 1 and we set up a guard on account of them “and we put men around the wall to guard the city” NEH 4 9 a99c figs-merism יוֹמָ֥ם וָ⁠לַ֖יְלָה 1 by day and by night This does not mean that some people went up on the walls to look around at various parts of the day, and others went up at certain times of night. Nehemiah is describing how he maintained a constant guard by speaking of two times when people were on duty, the day and the night, in order to include all the time in between. Alternate translation: “at all times,” otherwise “throughout the day and night” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]]) NEH 4 9 ad11 figs-metaphor מִ⁠פְּנֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 from their faces This term could mean two different things: (1) Most likely, here “Their faces” figuratively means the front of a group. This likely means that the lookouts would see the front ranks of the army as it approached. Alternate translation: “to spot them as they approached” (See: bita-hq). (2) Here “their faces” could also be a figurative way of referring to the enemies and their hostile intentions toward the people doing the work. Alternate translations: “against them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 10 ad13 figs-metonymy וַ⁠יֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה 1 And Judah said Nehemiah is describing the people of Judah figuratively by reference to something associated with them, the name of their province. Alternate translation: “Then the people of Judah started saying” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 4 10 ad15 כָּשַׁל֙ כֹּ֣חַ הַ⁠סַּבָּ֔ל 1 the strength of the burden-bearers is failing Alternate translation: “The people who are carrying the stones are getting worn out” NEH 4 10 vc8h וְ⁠הֶ⁠עָפָ֖ר 1 and…rubble Alternate translation: “and…burned stone” or “and…broken rock” or “and…unusable stone” NEH 4 10 ad17 וַ⁠אֲנַ֨חְנוּ֙ לֹ֣א נוּכַ֔ל לִ⁠בְנ֖וֹת בַּ⁠חוֹמָֽה 1 And as for us, we are not able to build the wall. Alternate translation: “We are not going to be able to finish rebuilding the wall” NEH 4 11 yuc9 figs-parallelism לֹ֤א יֵדְעוּ֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א יִרְא֔וּ עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־נָב֥וֹא אֶל־תּוֹכָ֖⁠ם 1 They will not know, and they will not see until when we come into their midst These two phrases mean similar things. The enemies use the repetition to emphasize how confident they are of launching a surprise attack. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “They will not be expecting an attack until we are right there,” otherwise “before they see us and know we are coming, we will rush down on them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 4 11 ad19 bita-hq וְ⁠לֹ֣א יִרְא֔וּ 1 and they will not see While the enemies could be referring to the Jews literally not seeing them approach, “seeing” could also be a figuratively way of describing knowledge, notice, or attention. In that case this expression would mean the same thing as “they will not know.” Alternate translation: “they will not be expecting” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 4 12 ad21 figs-explicit בָּ֣אוּ 1 came The implication is that they came to Jerusalem to speak with the Jewish leaders there. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “came to Jerusalem to speak with us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 12 t8f2 figs-synecdoche הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֔ים הַ⁠יֹּשְׁבִ֖ים אֶצְלָ֑⁠ם 1 the Jews dwelling beside them **Them** means the enemies Nehemiah has been talking about, so this expression likely refers to the Jews who lived near them. But it does not mean all of these Jews, just some who came to Jerusalem. Nehemiah is describing part of this group as if it were the whole group. Alternate translation: “some of the Jews who lived near our enemies” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 12 ad23 figs-explicit מִ⁠כָּל־הַ⁠מְּקֹמ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־תָּשׁ֥וּבוּ עָלֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 From all the places where you turn, they are on us The meaning of this Hebrew phrase is uncertain. However, one explanation that would fit the context is that these exposed Jewish communities sent representatives to Jerusalem to tell Nehemiah that they were afraid of being attacked in their villages. The “places where you return” could mean “anywhere we live,” referring to the villages, and “they are on us” could mean that the enemies could attack these undefended towns at any time. Perhaps these representatives were asking Nehemiah to release their able-bodied men from work duty and send them home so they could help defend their families and neighbors. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say something like this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Our enemies could attack us anywhere we live, so let our men return home so they can defend us!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 12 q1mv figs-hyperbole מִ⁠כָּל־הַ⁠מְּקֹמ֖וֹת 1 From all the places where you turn This phrase likely indicates “in every direction.” The word “all” is an exaggeration for emphasis. Alternate translation: “anywhere we live” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 4 13 ad25 וָֽ⁠אַעֲמִ֞יד 1 So I stationed If you follow the suggestion in the previous note for translating the last phrase in [4:12](../04/12.md), then you could show here that Nehemiah is indicating a contrast between what the representatives wanted him to do and what he actually did. Instead of scattering his forces by sending the men from other towns home, he concentrated them visibly in Jerusalem, expecting that the main attack would come there. Alternate translation: “But” or “Instead” NEH 4 13 xc8b וָֽ⁠אַעֲמִ֞יד מִֽ⁠תַּחְתִּיּ֧וֹת לַ⁠מָּק֛וֹם מֵ⁠אַחֲרֵ֥י לַ⁠חוֹמָ֖ה בַּצְּחִיחִ֑ים 1 So I stationed from the lowest of places behind the wall, in the bare places Alternate translation: “I put guards behind the wall at the places where it was low or where there were gaps in it.” NEH 4 13 mj33 figs-synecdoche וָֽ⁠אַעֲמִ֤יד אֶת־הָ⁠עָם֙ לְ⁠מִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת 1 I stationed the people by families This does not mean all the people, and it does not mean every member of every family. Nehemiah is figuratively describing part of the people as if they were all of them, and part of each family as if it were the whole family. Chapter 3 describes how Nehemiah organized the work on the wall by family and community groups. He seems to have organized the defense of the city the same way. Alternate translation: “I positioned people from each family” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 13 ad27 translate-unknown וְ⁠קַשְּׁתֹתֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 and their bows This means not just bows, but bows and arrows. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 4 14 l4uz וָ⁠אֵ֣רֶא 1 This likely means that Nehemiah literally looked over all the defenses he had put in place. Alternate translation: “After I had inspected everything” NEH 4 14 68hn figs-explicit וָ⁠אָק֗וּם וָ⁠אֹמַ֞ר 1 Since Nehemiah immediately addresses a group of people, the implication is that he gathered them together to speak to them. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “I summoned … and I told them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 14 f9hq figs-idiom וָ⁠אָק֗וּם 1 In this context, the expression “rose up” likely is a way of saying that Nehemiah took public action, not that he had been sitting or lying down and got up. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 14 iy4j אֶל־הַ⁠חֹרִ֤ים וְ⁠אֶל־הַ⁠סְּגָנִים֙ 1 See how you translated these terms in [2:16](../02/16.md). Alternate translation: “to the leading citizens and the city officials” NEH 4 14 mza7 figs-synecdoche יֶ֣תֶר הָ⁠עָ֔ם 1 This does not mean all of the other people who lived in Jerusalem, but rather many of them who came to hear Nehemiah speak on this occasion. He is figuratively describing part of the people as if they were all of them. Alternate translation: “many of the other people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])  NEH 4 14 ic4q figs-synecdoche אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מִ⁠פְּנֵי⁠הֶ֑ם 1 Here **face** figuratively describes an entire person by reference to one part, the “face,” likely because the face shows what the person is thinking and feeling. Alternate translation: “Do not be afraid of our enemies” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])  NEH 4 14 xyjh figs-idiom זְכֹ֔רוּ 1 In this context, **remember** does not refer to a person recalling something they have forgotten. Rather, it means, “keep in mind.” Alternate translation: “keep in mind” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])  NEH 4 14 xgdm figs-synecdoche אֲדֹנָ֞⁠י הַ⁠גָּד֤וֹל וְ⁠הַ⁠נּוֹרָא֙ 1 Nehemiah is referring here to Yahweh, the God who promised to bless and protect the Jews as his chosen people. When he says **my**, he is using himself to represent the entire community. Alternate translation: “our great and awesome God” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])  NEH 4 14 x0ri figs-doublet הַ⁠גָּד֤וֹל וְ⁠הַ⁠נּוֹרָא֙ 1 Nehemiah uses this same expression in [1:5](../01/05.md). See how you translated it there. Review the note there if that would be helpful. Alternate translation:  “great and awesome” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 4 14 5cs7 bita-hq אֲחֵי⁠כֶם֙ 1 Here **brother** could mean biological brothers, but it is more likely that it refers figuratively to a person’s relatives, that is, their whole family. Alternate translation: “your families” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 14 rjte bita-hq 1 NEH 4 15 puc1 writing-newevent וַ⁠יְהִ֞י כַּֽ⁠אֲשֶׁר 1 It came about Nehemiah uses this phrase to introduce the next event in his story. You do not need to represent it in your translation unless your language has a similar expression that it characteristically uses. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]]) NEH 4 15 qxa7 figs-activepassive נ֣וֹדַֽע לָ֔⁠נוּ 1 their plans were known to us If it would be clearer in your language, you could say this with an active form, and you could say who did the action. Alternate translation: “we found out about their plans” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 4 15 lgih figs-explicit נ֣וֹדַֽע לָ֔⁠נוּ 1 **It** means the plan of these enemies to launch a surprise attack, as described in [4:11](../04/11.md). If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “we found out about their plans to launch a surprise attack” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 15 e4mc וַ⁠יָּ֥פֶר הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עֲצָתָ֑⁠ם 1 Alternate translation: “and God had kept them from doing what they planned.” NEH 4 15 f236 figs-metonymy וַנָּ֤שָׁב כֻּלָּ֨⁠נוּ֙ אֶל־הַ֣⁠חוֹמָ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽ⁠וֹ 1 Here **the wall** means the work on the wall. Nehemiah is describing this work figuratively by referring to something associated with it, the wall that was the object of the work. Alternate translation: “we all went back to working on the wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 4 15 g1de figs-explicit וַנָּ֤שָׁב כֻּלָּ֨⁠נוּ֙ אֶל־הַ֣⁠חוֹמָ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽ⁠וֹ 1 The implication is that when the enemies realized the Jews knew about their plans, they decided not to attack. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “They decided not to attack us, and we all went back to working on the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 15 doov figs-idiom אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽ⁠וֹ 1 In this context, **a man** means “each person.” It does not refer only to an adult male. Alternate translation: “Each person continued doing the same work as before” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 16 rtac figs-idiom מִן־הַ⁠יּ֣וֹם 1 In this context, **day** may not refer to one specific day, but rather to a more general time. Alternate translation: “from that time on” or “after that” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 16 gh9g figs-idiom נְעָרַ⁠י֮ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּ⁠מְּלָאכָה֒ 1 my servants worked This expression refers to the servants who worked for Nehemiah. While they probably were young adult males, the expression is specifically envisioning their role and status. Alternate translation: “my servants” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 16 rgab figs-explicit עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּ⁠מְּלָאכָה֒ 1 This refers to the work on the wall. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “worked on the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 16 f9in translate-fraction חֲצִ֣י נְעָרַ⁠י֮ 1 half of my servants…half of them **Half** means one part out of two equal parts. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 4 16 nf2h translate-unknown וְ⁠הַ⁠קְּשָׁת֖וֹת 1 As in [4:13](../04/13.md), this means not just bows, but bows and arrows.
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 4 16 7iwi וְ⁠הַ֨⁠שָּׂרִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה 1 This likely means that certain officials literally stood behind the workers and the guards. That is, they were inside the wall and close to it, while the guards stood right at the wall and the workers worked on it. Alternate translation: “Officers stood behind all the workers and guards” NEH 4 16 gl4t figs-explicit וְ⁠הַ֨⁠שָּׂרִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה 1 the leaders stood behind all the people The implication is that the leaders were there to give orders in case there was an attack. But it is likely that Nehemiah also wanted them to offer encouragement and maintain good morale. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Officers stood behind all the workers and guards to encourage everyone and to give orders in case there was an attack” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 16 ijcj וְ⁠הַ֨⁠שָּׂרִ֔ים 1 From the context here and the use of this term in [7:2](../07/02.md), it appears that these “officials” were responsible for giving commands in military situations. Alternate translation: “and officers” NEH 4 16 d9r4 figs-metaphor כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה 1 Here the word **house** describes all the people descended from a particular person. All of the descendants of Judah are being described figuratively as if they were one household living together. So this would ordinarily mean “the people of Judah.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-manmade]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 16 1pdv figs-synecdoche כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה 1 However, in this context, the expression is not referring to all the people of Judah. Nehemiah is figuratively describing part of the people as if they were all of them. He means all of the workers and guards. The expression helps clarify that Nehemiah is no longer speaking just of his own servants, whom had divided into two groups to serve as workers and guards. Alternate translation: “all the workers and guards” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 17 hgfd figs-doublet וְ⁠הַ⁠נֹּשְׂאִ֥ים בַּ⁠סֶּ֖בֶל עֹמְשִׂ֑ים 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses them together for clarity and emphasis. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “and those who carried the heavy loads” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]])  NEH 4 17 uya2 figs-hyperbole עֹמְשִׂ֑ים בְּ⁠אַחַ֤ת יָד⁠וֹ֙ עֹשֶׂ֣ה בַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֔ה וְ⁠אַחַ֖ת מַחֲזֶ֥קֶת הַ⁠שָּֽׁלַח 1 Everyone worked with one hand, and with the other hand he held his weapon  Here **his hands** means “their hands.” This is an exaggeration. The builders and porters did not always work with only one hand. Rather, this means that they always had their weapons with them so that they would be prepared to fight off an attack. Alternate translation: “they always had their weapons with them while they were working on the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 4 18 8gtq figs-idiom וְ⁠הַ֨⁠בּוֹנִ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ חַרְבּ֛⁠וֹ אֲסוּרִ֥ים עַל־מָתְנָ֖י⁠ו וּ⁠בוֹנִ֑ים 1 In this context, **a man** means “each person.” Alternate translation: “each builder worked with his sword strapped to his side” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])  NEH 4 18 vur2 figs-explicit וְ⁠הַ⁠תּוֹקֵ֥עַ בַּ⁠שּׁוֹפָ֖ר אֶצְלִֽ⁠י 1 The implication is that Nehemiah stationed this person next to him so that he could sound a signal if needed. (This becomes clear in [4:20](../04/20.md).) If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly here. Alternate translation: “And I stationed someone next to me who would blow a ram’s horn if we needed a signal.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 19 yn7h וָ⁠אֹמַ֞ר 1 I said See how you translated these terms in [2:16](../02/16.md). Alternate translation: “the leading citizens … the city officials” NEH 4 19 xi9g figs-synecdoche הַ⁠חֹרִ֤ים…הַ⁠סְּגָנִים֙ 1 the nobles…the officials As in [4:14](../04/14.md), this does not mean all of the other people who lived in Jerusalem, but rather many of them who came to hear Nehemiah speak on this occasion. He is figuratively describing part of the people as if they were all of them. Alternate translation: “many of the other people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 19 agy3 figs-doublet הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה 1 The work is great **Great** and **vast** mean similar things. Nehemiah uses them together to emphasize the scope of the rebuilding project. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “large-scale” or “huge” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 4 19 p5fh bita-hq וַ⁠אֲנַ֗חְנוּ נִפְרָדִים֙ עַל־הַ֣⁠חוֹמָ֔ה רְחוֹקִ֖ים אִ֥ישׁ מֵ⁠אָחִֽי⁠ו 1 In this context, **a man** means “each person,” and **brother** means “fellow Jew.” Alternate translation: “each of us is far apart from our fellow Jews along the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 20 tm9s figs-explicit אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַ⁠שּׁוֹפָ֔ר 1 the trumpet sound The implication is that the workers and guards would need to gather together to fight off an attack. The implication is also that while the people were widely scattered, they would all be able to hear the ram’s horn even from a distance, and so it would be an effective signal. If it would make things clearer for your readers, you could say these things explicitly. Alternate translation: “So if we all need to gather in one place to fight off an attack, I will have someone blow a ram’s horn there. You will be able to hear this signal from anywhere along the wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 20 i5t4 translate-unknown הַ⁠שּׁוֹפָ֔ר 1 See how you translated this in [4:18](../04/18.md). Review the explanation there if that would be helpful. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 4 20 qml6 אֱלֹהֵ֖י⁠נוּ יִלָּ֥חֶם לָֽ⁠נוּ 1 This does not mean that God will fight instead of the Jews, but that God will take their side and help them win. Alternate translation: “God will help us defeat our enemies.” NEH 4 21 opos figs-explicit וַ⁠אֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּ⁠מְּלָאכָ֑ה 1 This means the **work** of rebuilding the wall. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “So we continued to work on rebuilding the wall.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 21 xvrl figs-synecdoche וְ⁠חֶצְיָ֗⁠ם מַחֲזִיקִים֙ בָּֽ⁠רְמָחִ֔ים 1 “Them” means the men who would otherwise have been working as builders or carrying loads, but who were serving as guards instead. As verses [4:13](../04/13.md) and [4:16](../04/13.md) make clear, the weaponry included not just spears, but also shields and bows and arrows. So Nehemiah is using “spears” here to refer figuratively to all of the weaponry. Alternate translation: “half of the men served as guards and kept their weapons ready” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 4 21 ca45 translate-fraction וְ⁠חֶצְיָ֗⁠ם 1 Half of them Here **half** means one part out of two equal parts. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 4 21 w4uu figs-merism מֵ⁠עֲל֣וֹת הַ⁠שַּׁ֔חַר עַ֖ד צֵ֥את הַ⁠כּוֹכָבִֽים 1 from the rising of the dawn until the coming out of the stars Nehemiah is referring to the entire day by speaking of two extreme parts of it, the time when first light of morning appears and the time when it becomes dark enough to see the stars, in order to include everything in between. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express this meaning with a single phrase. Alternate translation: “at all times,” otherwise “from the time when the light of dawn appeared in the morning until the time when the stars appeared at night" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-merism]]) NEH 4 21 jl3h מֵ⁠עֲל֣וֹת הַ⁠שַּׁ֔חַר 1 the rising of the dawn This phrase refers to the daily appearance of light rising in the east in the early morning hours prior to the sun rising above the horizon. Alternate translation: “the first light of day” NEH 4 21 ww7q figs-metaphor 1 Here Nehemiah describes the appearing of the stars as if they **came out** of an enclosed container. Alternate translation: “the very beginning of the night”
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 4 22 j1fu figs-idiom 1 In this context, **a man** means “each person” and more specifically “each worker.” As in 4:16, “young man” means servant. Alternate translation: “each worker and his servant”  (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])  NEH 4 22 r87p figs-explicit בְּ⁠ת֣וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 in the middle of Jerusalem This could be referring to workers who had come from nearby cities and towns to help rebuild the wall. It could also include people who lived in the Jerusalem area but whose homes were outside the city, such as local farmers. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “spend the night inside Jerusalem and not go home if they live outside the city” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 4 22 gjm3 1 The idea is not that these men would be on guard duty all night and then work all day on the wall. Rather, their presence in the city would mean that a large number of defenders would be ready on short notice if needed. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “That way the city will have plenty of defenders even at night, and they can still work on the wall during the daytime.” NEH 4 23 llry grammar-connect-time-simultaneous 1 In this verse Nehemiah is describing something else that was also true of the conditions in Jerusalem during the time period he is describing. You can make this clear in your translation with an appropriate connecting word or phrase. Alternate translation: “At that time, neither”
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-time-simultaneous]]) NEH 4 23 g8mf figs-metonymy 1 Here **brother** likely refers to Nehemiah’s close relatives. Elsewhere in the book he indicates that his brother Hanani lived in the city and that his relatives ate with him at the governor’s table ([1:2](../01/02.md), [5:14](../05/14.md), [7:2](../07/02.md)). Alternate translation: “my relatives”
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 4 23 vfv3 figs-idiom 1 As in [4:16](../04/16.md), this means “my servants.” 
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 4 23 flyg translate-unknown 1 This likely refers to the personal bodyguard that the king would have assigned to Nehemiah when he appointed him to be the governor of Judah. (Nehemiah describes this appointment in 5:14.) Alternate translation: “my personal bodyguard” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 4 23 upc5 figs-ellipsis 1 Here the specific meaning of the Hebrew text is unknown, but Nehemiah is almost certainly leaving out some of the words that a sentence would normally have to have in order to be complete. He says that he and his relatives, servants, and bodyguards did not take off their clothes, **or anyone his weapon at the water.** This could mean that “no one took his weapon off even when he was washing himself” or that “no one took his weapon off even when going to get water.” If it would be clearer in your language if you explained what “at the water” might mean, you could choose one of these possibilities. Alternate translation: “Each of us always had our weapons with us, even when we were washing ourselves.”
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 4 23 v2e1 figs-idiom פֹשְׁטִ֖ים בְּגָדֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 changed our clothes In this context, **a man** means “anyone.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])  NEH 5 intro k7pb 0 # Nehemiah 05 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Equality

The rich made money from the poor. The rich oppressed the poor by charging interest on loans. Because Nehemiah wanted to treat everyone fairly, he did not collect any taxes from them. This chapter also emphasizes that it was wrong to enslave a fellow Jew. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/oppress]])

### Governor
Nehemiah was a governmental leader in Jerusalem, but he was not a king. Jerusalem had a great deal of independence, but it was under the authority of the Persian king. The term “governor” reflects this idea, but a different term may be used in translation. NEH 5 1 za4u grammar-connect-time-simultaneous וַ⁠תְּהִ֨י 1 Then the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews Nehemiah now relates something else that was happening even while the Jews were trying to rebuild the wall and defend themselves against their enemies. You can make this clear in your translation with an appropriate connecting word or phrase. Alternate translation: “Around this same time” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-time-simultaneous]]) NEH 5 1 zmb8 figs-abstractnouns צַעֲקַ֥ת הָ⁠עָ֛ם וּ⁠נְשֵׁי⁠הֶ֖ם גְּדוֹלָ֑ה 1 raised a great outcry **Outcry** is an abstract noun that refers to the complaints that the poorer Jews made to Nehemiah about how the wealthier and more powerful Jews were treating them. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate the idea behind this word with a verb such as “complain.” Since Nehemiah says this was a “great” outcry, involving many serious grievances, you could intensify the verb with an adverb such as “bitterly.” Alternate translation: “many of the men and their wives complained bitterly” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 5 1 czx5 הָ⁠עָ֛ם וּ⁠נְשֵׁי⁠הֶ֖ם 1 the men and their wives Here **the people** seems to indicate certain men who lived in Jerusalem, since Nehemiah also mentions their wives. Alternate translation: “many of the men and their wives” NEH 5 1 3qlp bita-hq אֲחֵי⁠הֶ֖ם 1 Here **brother** does not seem to mean biological brothers, but to refer figuratively to other members of the same people group. Alternate translation: “their fellow Jews” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 1 93po figs-doublet אֲחֵי⁠הֶ֖ם הַ⁠יְּהוּדִֽים
1 These two short phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses them together to emphasize how inappropriate it was for people to treat members of their own group in the ways described. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “their fellow Jews” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 2 u19u וְ⁠יֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים 1 Verses 2, 3, 4, and 5 do not seem to be different complaints that people brought to Nehemiah separately. Rather, the whole group seems to be complaining that because they need to get food for their families, wealthier and more powerful Jews are exploiting them. They are forcing them to take mortgages and loans and even sell their children into slavery. Nehemiah is probably depicting one speaker after another in the crowd adding details to this picture. You could suggest this to the readers of your translation by introducing these comments with a translation such as, “some of them began to say” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 2 i9kn בָּנֵ֥י⁠נוּ וּ⁠בְנֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֑ים 1 Alternate translation: “We have many children” NEH 5 2 i5cb figs-synecdoche וְ⁠נִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן 1 This does not mean only grain. The people complaining to Nehemiah are using one kind of food, grain, the staple of their diet, to refer figuratively to all the foods they would need to eat. Alternate translation: “we need food” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 5 2 7ibq figs-explicit וְ⁠נִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן 1 The implication is that because the families are large, a lot of food is needed. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “we need to get a lot of food” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 2 ojue figs-doublet וְ⁠נֹאכְלָ֥ה וְ⁠נִחְיֶֽה 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. The people use them together to emphasize the urgency and importance of having food. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “to get enough food to stay alive” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 3 hwfh figs-explicit וְ⁠יֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים 1 Alternate translation: “Others added” (See the applicable note to [2:2](../02/02.md). 
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 3 dt2m translate-unknown שְׂדֹתֵ֛י⁠נוּ וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֥י⁠נוּ וּ⁠בָתֵּ֖י⁠נוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹרְבִ֑ים וְ⁠נִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן בָּ⁠רָעָֽב 1 We are mortgaging our fields It might be helpful to explain to your readers what a **mortgage** is, if you think they might not know. Alternate translation: “We have had to promise to give someone our fields, vineyards, and houses if we do not pay back the money we borrowed. We had to borrow the money to buy food during this time when food is scarce.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 5 4 r14f figs-explicit וְ⁠יֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים 1 Different people in the crowd apparently continue to add details to the complaint. Alternate translation: “Still others said” NEH 5 4 zurg figs-metonymy לָוִ֥ינוּ כֶ֖סֶף 1 **Silver** here means “money.” Nehemiah is describing money figuratively by reference to the commodity that is being used as a means of exchange, silver. Alternate translation: “We have had to borrow money” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 5 4 9i16 translate-unknown לְ⁠מִדַּ֣ת הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶךְ שְׂדֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ וּ⁠כְרָמֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 **Tribute** means “taxes” here. Alternate translation: “the taxes that the king commanded us to pay on our fields and our vineyards” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 5 5 zami grammar-connect-words-phrases וְ⁠עַתָּ֗ה 1 This term indicates that the sentence that follows is a further development of the thought from the previous sentence. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-words-phrases]]) NEH 5 5 z4ru figs-explicit כִּ⁠בְשַׂ֤ר אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ בְּשָׂרֵ֔⁠נוּ כִּ⁠בְנֵי⁠הֶ֖ם בָּנֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 Yet now our flesh and blood is the same as our brothers, and our children are the same as their children Here the Jews are insisting that they are of the same Jewish descent as the other Jews and that they of the same importance as the others. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Yet our families are Jews just like the other Jew’s families, and our children are just as important to us as their children are to them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 5 ff7r figs-abstractnouns כִּ⁠בְשַׂ֤ר אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ בְּשָׂרֵ֔⁠נוּ כִּ⁠בְנֵי⁠הֶ֖ם בָּנֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 These two phrases mean similar things. The people complaining to Nehemiah are using the repetition to emphasize how shameful it is for the wealthy and powerful to sell their own fellow Jews into slavery. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “And we are Jews, just like the people who are doing these things to us!” (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-[[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]]]) NEH 5 5 pcwk כִּ⁠בְשַׂ֤ר אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ בְּשָׂרֵ֔⁠נוּ כִּ⁠בְנֵי⁠הֶ֖ם בָּנֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 You could move this sentence to the end of the verse, since it is the culmination of the argument. NEH 5 5 w1ot bita-hq אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ 1 Here **brother** figuratively describes the Jews who are exploiting their poor and vulnerable fellow Jews. Alternate translation: “And we are Jews, just like the people who are doing these things to us!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 5 1guf וְ⁠הִנֵּ֣ה 1 **Behold** is a term meant to focus the attention of the listener on what the speaker is about to say. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use some emphatic term or expression in your language that would have this same effect. NEH 5 5 rdp9 figs-explicit אֲנַ֣חְנוּ כֹ֠בְשִׁים אֶת־בָּנֵ֨י⁠נוּ וְ⁠אֶת־בְּנֹתֵ֜י⁠נוּ לַ⁠עֲבָדִ֗ים וְ⁠יֵ֨שׁ מִ⁠בְּנֹתֵ֤י⁠נוּ נִכְבָּשׁוֹת֙ 1 Some of our daughters have already been enslaved In this context, the construction **are putting** likely indicates that the poor are on the verge of selling their children into slavery. The next sentence shows that they have already done this just in some instances. It appears that in this culture, in dire situations, girls were sold before boys, perhaps because they could become either domestic servants or concubines. A concubine was a woman who was both a slave and a secondary wife to her master. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express this statement that way. Alternate translation: “We are on the verge of selling our children into slavery. In fact, we have already sold some of our daughters as servants and concubines.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 5 z783 grammar-connect-logic-result וְ⁠אֵ֣ין לְ⁠אֵ֣ל יָדֵ֔⁠נוּ וּ⁠שְׂדֹתֵ֥י⁠נוּ וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֖י⁠נוּ לַ⁠אֲחֵרִֽים 1 But it is not in our power to help it because other men now own our fields and our vineyards If it would be clearer in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, because the second phrase gives the reason why the first phrase is true. Alternate translation: “because our creditors took the fields and vineyards we pledged as security for loans, there is nothing else we can do in this situation.” (See: \[\[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result\]\]) NEH 5 5 y2mq figs-idiom וְ⁠אֵ֣ין לְ⁠אֵ֣ל יָדֵ֔⁠נוּ 1 “My hand is to God” is an [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]] that means that the speaker has the power to do what they are describing. Here the poor are saying that this is not the case. Alternate translation: “there is nothing else we can do in this situation” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 5 jr7j figs-explicit וּ⁠שְׂדֹתֵ֥י⁠נוּ וּ⁠כְרָמֵ֖י⁠נוּ לַ⁠אֲחֵרִֽים 1 it is not in our power The implication is that when the poor could not pay back their loans, their creditors took the fields and vineyards they had pledged as collateral. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “because our creditors took the fields and vineyards we pledged as security for loans.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 6 7cm3 bita-phenom וַ⁠יִּ֥חַר לִ֖⁠י מְאֹ֑ד 1 Here Nehemiah says that his anger was a fire that burned inside of him. Alternate translation: “I got very angry” (See:
[[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-phenom]]
and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 6 ryx1 figs-abstractnouns כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי֙ אֶת־זַֽעֲקָתָ֔⁠ם 1 when I heard their outcry **Outcry** is an abstract noun that refers to complaints that the poorer Jews made to Nehemiah about how the wealthier and more powerful Jews were treating them. You can translate the idea behind this word with a verb such as “complain.” Alternate translation: “when I heard how they were complaining” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]])


NEH 5 6 some figs-doublet אֶת־זַֽעֲקָתָ֔⁠ם וְ⁠אֵ֖ת הַ⁠דְּבָרִ֥ים 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. They are used together to emphasize the urgency and severity of these complaints. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “everything that they were complaining about” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 7 7k8g figs-personification ​וַ⁠יִּמָּלֵ֨ךְ לִבִּ֜⁠י עָלַ֗⁠י 1 Here Nehemiah is speaking about his heart as if it were a living thing that could act like a king and rule over him. However, he is not saying that his feelings commanded his actions. (He says in the previous verse that he became very angry, but in the next verse he describes acting in a careful and deliberate manner.) Instead, this means that his heart “took counsel” with him, the way a king would take counsel with advisors. In effect, Nehemiah is saying that he talked the matter over with himself. Alternate translation: “I thought hard about what to do” (See: \[\[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification\]\]) NEH 5 7 wxyz figs-metaphor וַ⁠יִּמָּלֵ֨ךְ לִבִּ֜⁠י עָלַ֗⁠י 1 Here the **heart** figuratively represents the thoughts and the will. Alternate translation: “I thought hard about what to do” (See: \[\[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor\]\]) NEH 5 7 jawz וָ⁠אָרִ֨יבָ⁠ה֙ 1 **Contended** is a technical term that means “to bring charges.” It means to initiate a lawsuit that would require the defendants to answer for themselves publicly, in the presence of their fellow citizens. Alternate translation: “Then I brought charges” NEH 5 7 o23t figs-metaphor ​הַ⁠חֹרִ֣ים…הַ⁠סְּגָנִ֔ים 1 See how you translated these terms in [2:16](../02/16.md). Alternate translation: “the leading citizens and the city officials”​ NEH 5 7 dy73 figs-idiom מַשָּׁ֥א…אַתֶּ֣ם נֹשִׁ֑ים 1 This expression means to charge interest when loaning money to another person. Alternate translation: "You are charging interest"
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 7 sn56 figs-explicit מַשָּׁ֥א אִישׁ־בְּ⁠אָחִ֖י⁠ו 1 You are exacting interest, each from his own brother The Law of Moses specifically forbade charging interest on a loan to a fellow Jew. So this was not just an exploitive business practice, it was a violation of God’s Law. The rich and powerful Jews would certainly have been expected to know this. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “You are charging interest on loans to your fellow Jews. You know that is forbidden in the Law of Moses.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 7 f66g figs-idiom אִישׁ־בְּ⁠אָחִ֖י⁠ו 1 In this context, “a man” means “each person.” It does not mean only an adult male. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 7 9ibe bita-hq אִישׁ־בְּ⁠אָחִ֖י⁠ו 1 Here **brother** could conceivably include even biological brothers, but in context it likely refers figuratively to fellow Jews. Alternate translation: “to your fellow Jews” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])


NEH 5 7 r7yl translate-unknown וָ⁠אֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֖ם קְהִלָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה 1 I held a great assembly against them This means that, as part of conducting the lawsuit against these wealthy and powerful Jews, Nehemiah brought together a large group of their fellow citizens to hear the charges against them. This group was the “assembly.” Alternate translation: “I put them on trial in front of their fellow citizens” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 5 7 u9u2 figs-events וָ⁠אֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֖ם קְהִלָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה 1 To present the events in chronological order, if that would be helpful to your readers, you could put this before the previous sentence, which describes the first charge that Nehemiah brought at this trial.
(See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-events]]) NEH 5 8 o7o9 figs-explicit **We** likely means Nehemiah and his relatives, as in 4:23. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “My relatives and I” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 8 a1b2 figs-events קָ֠נִינוּ אֶת־אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֜ים הַ⁠נִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַ⁠גּוֹיִם֙ 1 To present the events in chronological order, if that would be helpful to your readers, you could put the information that some Jews had to sell themselves into slavery before the information that Nehemiah and his relatives bought their freedom. Alternate translation: “Whenever our Jewish relatives have had to sell themselves into slavery to people from other nations … we have been buying them back.” (See: Order of Events) NEH 5 8 o6o8 כְּ⁠דֵ֣י בָ֔⁠נוּ 1 Alternate translation: “to the best of our ability” NEH 5 8 q123 figs-doublet אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֜ים 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. They are used together to emphasize that buying them back was an honorable and expected action. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “our Jewish relatives” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 8 bszc bita-hq אַחֵ֨י⁠נוּ 1 Here **brother** likely refers figuratively to fellow Jews. Alternate translation: “our fellow Jews” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 8 t5y7 figs-activepassive הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֜ים הַ⁠נִּמְכָּרִ֤ים 1 You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “our fellow Jews have had to sell themselves” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 5 8 pzy8 figs-explicit אַתֶּ֛ם תִּמְכְּר֥וּ אֶת־אֲחֵי⁠כֶ֖ם וְ⁠נִמְכְּרוּ־לָ֑⁠נוּ 1 but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold back to us This means that they are selling their family members, both men and women, as slaves to their fellow Jews. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. Alternate translation: “Now you are selling your own people to be slaves of your fellow Jews, so that they might later sell them back to us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 8 kn82 figs-activepassive הַ⁠נִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַ⁠גּוֹיִם֙ 1 who had been sold to the nations This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “who people had sold as slaves to the nations” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 5 8 b1a1 וְ⁠גַם־אַתֶּ֛ם 1 This is an emphatic expression. Nehemiah uses it to show how serious the offense is. If it would be clearer in your language, you could indicate this emphasis in some way in your translation. Alternate translation: “you are actually” NEH 5 8 b1a3 figs-explicit תִּמְכְּר֥וּ אֶת־אֲחֵי⁠כֶ֖ם 1 This means that the creditors were selling the debtors into slavery to recover the money they owed. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “you are actually selling your fellow Jews into slavery to get back the money they owe you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 8 b1a5 bita-hq אֲחֵי⁠כֶ֖ם 1 Here **brother** likely refers figuratively to fellow Jews. Alternate translation: “your fellow Jews” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 8 b1a7 figs-activepassive וְ⁠נִמְכְּרוּ־לָ֑⁠נוּ 1 You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “They are some of the very people we have been buying back!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 5 8 b1a9 figs-explicit וַֽ⁠יַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְ⁠לֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר 1 The implication is that the accused said nothing because they knew that Nehemiah’s charges were true. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “They knew that these charges were true, so they were silent. They could not answer a single word.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 8 ecd1 figs-parallelism וַֽ⁠יַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְ⁠לֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר 1 These two phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses the repetition to emphasize how completely guilty the accused people were. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine these phrases. Alternate translation: “there was absolutely nothing they could say in response.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 5 9 lm7c לֹא־ט֥וֹב הַ⁠דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֑ים 1 In this context, **good** does have a moral connotation. Nehemiah is saying more than that this is not a good idea. Alternate translation: “What you are doing is wrong!” NEH 5 9 kr1t figs-rquestion הֲ⁠ל֞וֹא בְּ⁠יִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ מֵ⁠חֶרְפַּ֖ת הַ⁠גּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 Nehemiah is making a statement, not asking a question. He does not expect the accused to give him reasons why they should not obey God. Instead, he is using the question form to emphasize how important it is for these wealthy and powerful Jews to stop doing these wrong things. Alternate translation: “You really ought to live your life in a way that honors God!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 5 9 v6ux figs-idiom הֲ⁠ל֞וֹא בְּ⁠יִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ 1 In this context, **fear** does not mean to be afraid. It means to show respect and reverence, specifically by obeying instead of disobeying. Alternate translation: “live your life in a way that honors God” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 9 b1b1 figs-idiom תֵּלֵ֔כוּ 1 Here **walk** is an idiom that describes a person’s conduct in life. Alternate translation: “live your life” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 9 b1b3 מֵ⁠חֶרְפַּ֖ת הַ⁠גּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 This may be a reference to the way the enemies of the Jews were already mocking them, or to the way they would mock them if they learned of what was happening. It could mean both things. Alternate translation: “Otherwise, our enemies will mock us even more” NEH 5 9 s7qt figs-abstractnouns מֵ⁠חֶרְפַּ֖ת הַ⁠גּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 **Reproach** is an abstract noun that refers to the way the enemies of the Jews were mocking them. If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate the same idea with a verb such as “mock.” Alternate translation: “to keep the nations who are our enemies from mocking us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 5 9 b1b5 figs-doublet הַ⁠גּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. Nehemiah uses them together to emphasize the identity and hostility of the people who are opposing the Jews. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “our enemies” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 10 b1b7 bita-hq וְ⁠גַם־אֲנִי֙ אַחַ֣⁠י וּ⁠נְעָרַ֔⁠י 1 As in [4:23](../04/23.md), this means, “I myself, my relatives, and my servants.” The term “brother” here likely includes one or more of Nehemiah’s biological brothers, but more generally it refers figuratively to his close relatives. Alternate translation: “I myself, my relatives, and my servants” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 10 xbp5 נֹשִׁ֥ים בָּ⁠הֶ֖ם כֶּ֣סֶף וְ⁠דָגָ֑ן 1 The implication is that Nehemiah and his companions are lending without charging any interest. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “have been lending money and grain to those in need without charging interest” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 10 b1b9 figs-metonymy כֶּ֣סֶף 1 **Silver** here means “money.” Nehemiah is describing money figuratively by reference to the commodity that is being used as a means of exchange, silver. Alternate translation: “money” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 5 10 j3dq נַֽעַזְבָה־נָּ֖א אֶת־הַ⁠מַּשָּׁ֥א הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 It is clear from the context that **us** in this sentence does not mean Nehemiah and his companions, but rather the entire Jewish community, of which they are a part. Nehemiah could say to the defendants, accusingly, “You must stop charging interest!” But he includes himself and the entire community as a way of being encouraging rather than condemning. (This would be a use of “we/us” that includes the addressees. You should make this clear in your translation if your language makes that distinction.) Alternate translation: “All of us should stop charging interest on loans.” NEH 5 11 vkz7 הָשִׁיבוּ֩ נָ֨א לָ⁠הֶ֜ם 1 This is worded as a polite request, but it is really a demand. If it would be clearer in your language, you could express it with an imperative. “Give them back” NEH 5 11 dim5 figs-idiom כְּ⁠הַ⁠יּ֗וֹם 1 This does not necessarily mean on this same day, but without waiting. Alternate translation: “Do it right away!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 11 b1c1 translate-fraction וּ⁠מְאַ֨ת 1 In this context, this expression means “the hundredth part,” or one per cent. In this culture, this was likely charged monthly, so it would have amounted to 12% annual interest. In an economy that was based more on commodities than on cash, this would have been an exorbitant amount. If your culture typically calculates interest at an annual rate, you could express it that way here to help your readers understand the likely meaning. Alternate translation: “the 12% annual interest” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 11 e9y2 figs-metonymy הַ⁠כֶּ֤סֶף 1 **Silver** means “money” here, as in verse 10. Alternate translation: “money” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 5 11 b1c3 figs-idiom נֹשִׁ֥ים בָּ⁠הֶֽם 1 Alternate translation: “charging them” or “making them pay” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 12 b1c5 וַ⁠יֹּאמְר֣וּ 1 **They** means the leading citizens and the city officials. Alternate translation: “These leaders replied” NEH 5 12 q7t5 figs-explicit נָשִׁ֗יב 1 The implication is that they will return the fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses that they took from the poor, as Nehemiah demanded in [5:11](../05/11.md). If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “We will give back their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and houses” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 12 i1gi וּ⁠מֵ⁠הֶם֙ לֹ֣א נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ 1 Alternate translation: “And we will stop charging them interest.” NEH 5 12 e2yv grammar-connect-logic-result נַעֲשֶׂ֔ה כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתָּ֣ה אוֹמֵ֑ר 1 If it would be clearer in your language, you could put this statement first, since it is the reason for the results that follow, the return of property and the cancelling of interest. Alternate translation: “Yes, we will do what you say” (See: grammar-connect-logic-result) NEH 5 12 b1c7 figs-explicit וָ⁠אֶקְרָא֙ אֶת־הַ⁠כֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וָֽ⁠אַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔⁠ם לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּ⁠דָּבָ֥ר הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 The implication is that the priests would have these leaders swear an oath before God. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Then I called the priests, and I made the leaders swear to God in front of them that they would do what they had promised.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 13 b1c9 figs-metonymy חָצְנִ֣⁠י נָעַ֗רְתִּי 1 **Bosom** here refers figuratively to Nehemiah’s robe. It refers specifically by association to the part that he could gather together in front of him to form a pouch. Alternate translation: “I shook out the folds of my robe” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 5 13 neg1 translate-symaction חָצְנִ֣⁠י נָעַ֗רְתִּי 1 Nehemiah gathered his robe together in front of him, the way someone would if they wanted to carry something in its folds. Then he flung the robe open and shook it, so that anything that was in it would have scattered. By doing this, he demonstrated symbolically to the Jewish leaders what would happen to them if they broke the promise they made. Alternate translation: “I shook out the folds of my robe” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]]) NEH 5 13 f5p4 כָּ֣כָה יְנַעֵ֪ר הָֽ⁠אֱלֹהִ֟ים אֶת־כָּל־הָ⁠אִישׁ֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יָקִ֜ים אֶת־הַ⁠דָּבָ֣ר הַ⁠זֶּ֗ה מִ⁠בֵּית⁠וֹ֙ וּ⁠מִ֣⁠יגִיע֔⁠וֹ וְ⁠כָ֛כָה יִהְיֶ֥ה נָע֖וּר וָ⁠רֵ֑ק 1 Alternate translation: “In the same way, may God take away the home and all the possessions of anyone who does not keep this promise” NEH 5 13 b1d1 figs-gendernotations כָּל־הָ⁠אִישׁ֩ 1 In this context, this expression means “anyone.” It could include women as well as men. Alternate translation: “anyone” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-gendernotations]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 13 b1d3 figs-personification יָקִ֜ים אֶת־הַ⁠דָּבָ֣ר הַ⁠זֶּ֗ה 1 The **word** means the promise that the leaders have made and the oath they have taken to confirm it. Nehemiah is speaking of this promise figuratively as if it were a living thing that could stand, that is, stay in place rather than go away. Alternate translation: “keep this oath” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 5 13 b1d5 figs-doublet מִ⁠בֵּית⁠וֹ֙ וּ⁠מִ֣⁠יגִיע֔⁠וֹ 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. They are used together to express the totality of what a person owns. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “everything he owns” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 13 b1d7 וּ⁠מִ֣⁠יגִיע֔⁠וֹ 1 **Labor** here figuratively refers to the “fruits of labor,” that is, the possessions that a person acquires through labor. Alternate translation: “all his possessions” NEH 5 13 b1d9 figs-parallelism וְ⁠כָ֛כָה יִהְיֶ֥ה נָע֖וּר וָ⁠רֵ֑ק 1 This sentence repeats the meaning of the previous one. Nehemiah uses the repetition for emphasis. You would not need to use the same repetition in your translation if it were already clear that Nehemiah is speaking emphatically in the first sentence. However, you could also rephrase the meaning. Alternate translation: “Yes, may that person be separated from everything he owns!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 5 13 b1e1 figs-doublet נָע֖וּר וָ⁠רֵ֑ק 1 These two short phrases mean similar things. They are used together to emphasize how completely Nehemiah wants God to punish anyone who breaks the oath. You do not need to repeat both phrases in your translation if that would be confusing for your readers. Alternate translation: “be separated from everything he owns” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 13 b1e3 כָֽל־הַ⁠קָּהָ֜ל 1 This means everyone who was there, both the leaders who were the defendants and the citizens Nehemiah had gathered to hear the charges against them. Alternate translation: “everyone who was there” NEH 5 13 b1e5 figs-idiom אָמֵ֗ן 1 This is an expression that means, “Truly it is so.” It expresses agreement with what someone has just said. You could express the meaning with a phrase such as, “We agree!” Or you could use the Hebrew term and explain its meaning: “Amen! It is true.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 13 b1e7 וַֽ⁠יְהַלְלוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה 1 Alternate translation: “they worshipped God” NEH 5 13 b1e9 וַ⁠יַּ֥עַשׂ הָ⁠עָ֖ם כַּ⁠דָּבָ֥ר הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 **The people** means “the Jews.” “This word” means the promises they made. Alternate translation: “After that, none of the Jews took houses or fields to guarantee loans, and none of them charged interest” NEH 5 14 zur1 figs-explicit גַּ֞ם 1 As explained in the note to [3:1](../03/01.md), in this book, Nehemiah is recording everything that he did to help the people of Judah. He hopes and prays that God will bless him for what he did. He has just described how he rescued the poor from foreclosures and interest. Now he is going to describe something further that he did to help them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Here is something else I did to help the people.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 14 b1f1 writing-background מִ⁠יּ֣וֹם ׀ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗⁠י לִ⁠הְי֣וֹת פֶּחָ⁠ם֮ בְּ⁠אֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָה֒ מִ⁠שְּׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֗ים…לְ⁠אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 This is background information that helps explain what Nehemiah will say next. Alternate translation: “Artaxerxes, the king of Persia, had appointed me to be the governor of the province of Judah during the twentieth year of his reign.” (See: Background Information) NEH 5 14 b1f3 מִ⁠יּ֣וֹם…וְ֠⁠עַד שְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּ⁠שְׁתַּ֨יִם֙ לְ⁠אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 Alternate translation: “During the twelve years from that time until the thirty-second year of his reign” NEH 5 14 b1f5 figs-idiom מִ⁠יּ֣וֹם 1 This is an idiom that means “from the time.” Alternate translation: “from that time” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 14 ri8l translate-ordinal מִ⁠שְּׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֗ים וְ֠⁠עַד שְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּ⁠שְׁתַּ֨יִם֙ 1 Alternate translation: “from the 20th year until the 32nd year of the reign of Artaxerxes as king” or “from year 20 until year 32 in the reign of Artaxerxes as king” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 5 14 ga6u translate-numbers שָׁנִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה 1 Alternate translation: “12 years” or “during those 12 years” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 5 14 b1f7 אֲנִ֣י וְ⁠אַחַ֔⁠י לֶ֥חֶם הַ⁠פֶּ֖חָה לֹ֥א אָכַֽלְתִּי 1 As Nehemiah explains in the next verse, he recognized that the people were poor and could not afford to provide very much for the expenses of the governor. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly here. Alternate translation: “Because I knew that the people were poor and could not afford to pay for it, I did not accept the governor’s food allowance, and I did not use it to feed my relatives” NEH 5 14 i31d אֲנִ֣י…לֹ֥א אָכַֽלְתִּי 1 Alternate translation: “I did not accept” NEH 5 14 b1f9 figs-synecdoche לֶ֥חֶם הַ⁠פֶּ֖חָה 1 Nehemiah is using bread to refer figuratively to the entire food allowance that he was entitled to as the governor of Judah. He is describing all the food by the name of one part of it, the bread. Alternate translation: “the food that the people provided for the governor” or “the governor’s food allowance” (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 5 14 nqt2 bita-hq וְ⁠אַחַ֔⁠י 1 As in [4:23](../04/23.md), **brother** here likely refers to Nehemiah’s actual brother Hanani and the other close relatives who were with him. Alternate translation: “and I did not use it to feed my relatives” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/bita-hq]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 15 uu9k figs-doublet וְ⁠הַ⁠פַּחוֹת֩ הָ⁠רִאשֹׁנִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־לְ⁠פָנַ֜⁠י 1 **Former** and **before my face** mean similar things. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “The men who were governors before me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 5 15 b1g1 figs-synecdoche לְ⁠פָנַ֜⁠י 1 Here **face** figuratively describes an entire person by reference to one part of them, the “face.” Alternate translation: “before me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 5 15 b1g3 figs-metaphor הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־הָ⁠עָ֗ם 1 Here Nehemiah speaks figuratively as if these governors had been a great burden that the people were carrying, making their lives very difficult. Alternate translation: “made life very difficult for the people” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 15 b1g5 figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּקְח֨וּ מֵ⁠הֶ֜ם בְּ⁠לֶ֤חֶם וָ⁠יַ֨יִן֙ אַחַר֙ כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים 1 **After** indicates that the supplies of bread and wine were in addition to the money. Nehemiah is likely describing what the former governors required of the people each day. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “They demanded that they supply them with bread and wine and forty silver shekels every day.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 15 w4zk translate-bmoney כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים 1 In ancient times, a silver shekel weighed about 11 grams or about a third of an ounce. You could try to express this in terms of modern money values, but if you did, that could cause your Bible translation to become outdated and inaccurate over time, since those values can change from year to year. Instead, you could say something general like “forty silver coins,” or give the equivalent weight, or use the biblical term in the text and give the weight in a note. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-bmoney]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 5 15 b1g7 translate-numbers כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים 1 Alternate translation: “forty silver shekels” or “40 pieces of silver” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 5 15 b1g9 גַּ֥ם נַעֲרֵי⁠הֶ֖ם שָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־הָ⁠עָ֑ם 1 Alternate translation: “Even their servants oppressed the people.” NEH 5 15 egg7 grammar-connect-logic-result וַ⁠אֲנִי֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי כֵ֔ן מִ⁠פְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים 1 In this sentence, if it would be clearer in your language, you can put the reason before the result. Alternate translation: “But because of my fear of God, I did not take the food” (See: grammar-connect-logic-result) NEH 5 15 b1h1 figs-metaphor מִ⁠פְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים 1 Here **face** figuratively represents Nehemiah’s personal perception. “Fearing” God does not mean being afraid of God, but recognizing that God deserves respect and honor. Nehemiah is speaking of this perception figuratively, as if this recognition was always directly in front of him in a place where he could see it. He means that he was always aware of it. Alternate translation: “because I knew I needed to respect God” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 16 gx42 figs-metaphor בִּ⁠מְלֶ֜אכֶת הַ⁠חוֹמָ֤ה הַ⁠זֹּאת֙ הֶחֱזַ֔קְתִּי 1 Nehemiah describes himself figuratively as **holding fast to***, meaning “holding onto,” the work of rebuilding the wall. This means that he was devoted to it, and he did not pursue other interests, including ones that could have made money for him. Alternate translation: “I devoted myself to the work of rebuilding of the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 16 lm7t שָׂדֶ֖ה לֹ֣א קָנִ֑ינוּ 1 **We** likely refers to Nehemiah and his relatives, since he mentions his servants next. NEH 5 16 b1h3 figs-synecdoche שָׂדֶ֖ה לֹ֣א קָנִ֑ינוּ 1 Nehemiah is using the term **field** figuratively to describe any kind of real property that he and his relatives might have bought. Verse 11 shows that this could have included not just fields but also things like vineyards, olive orchards, and houses. He is describing all real property by reference to one kind, a field. Alternate translation: “My relatives and I did not buy any property” (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 5 16 m3s9 figs-explicit שָׂדֶ֖ה לֹ֣א קָנִ֑ינוּ 1 The implication is that they could have bought property cheaply because the poor were so desperate. If it would make things clearer in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “My relatives and I did not buy any property, even though we could have gotten it cheaply because the poor were so desperate” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 16 xpb3 figs-activepassive וְ⁠כָל־נְעָרַ֔⁠י קְבוּצִ֥ים שָׁ֖ם עַל־הַ⁠מְּלָאכָֽה 1 **There** means at the wall, and **for the work** means the work of rebuilding the wall. If it would be clearer in your language, you can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “I gathered all of my servants there to work on the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 5 17 j2af figs-synecdoche וְ⁠הַ⁠יְּהוּדִ֨ים 1 While this expression means “the Jewish people” in most of the book, in the contexts here and in 2:16 it seems to mean “Jewish leaders.” Nehemiah is describing some members of this people group, its leaders, as if they were the whole group. Alternate translation: “the Jewish leaders” (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 5 17 a1g4 translate-unknown וְ⁠הַ⁠סְּגָנִ֜ים 1 See how you translated this term in [2:16](../02/16.md). Alternate translation: “city officials” (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 5 17 q9x7 figs-metonymy מֵאָ֧ה וַ⁠חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ…עַל־שֻׁלְחָנִֽ⁠י 1 Nehemiah is using the word **table** to refer to the act of feeding people. He is describing that act figuratively by reference to something associated with it, the table that the food was served on. Alternate translation: “every day I was responsible to feed 150 Jewish leaders and officials” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 5 17 w7i4 figs-explicit וְ⁠הַ⁠בָּאִ֥ים אֵלֵ֛י⁠נוּ מִן־הַ⁠גּוֹיִ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־סְבִיבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ 1 This likely refers to Jews who lived in other countries but who came to Jerusalem. Their own communities may have sent them as representatives, or they may have come on their own for business or personal reasons. Alternate translation: “and we also fed the Jewish visitors who came from other countries around us” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 5 18 fa32 figs-ellipsis וַ⁠אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְ⁠י֣וֹם אֶחָ֗ד שׁ֣וֹר אֶחָ֞ד צֹ֠אן שֵׁשׁ־בְּרֻר֤וֹת וְ⁠צִפֳּרִים֙ נַֽעֲשׂוּ־לִ֔⁠י 1 Nehemiah seems once again to be leaving out some of the words that a sentence would ordinarily need in order to be complete. He probably means something like, “What was prepared for one day is as follows: One bull, six choice sheep, and birds; that is what was prepared for me.” You could simplify the sentence for your readers by not including “were prepared for me” again at the end. Alternate translation: “Each day I told my servants to prepare one ox, six good sheep, and various kinds of poultry” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 5 18 gqe2 figs-activepassive וַ⁠אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְ⁠י֣וֹם אֶחָ֗ד 1 If it would be clearer in your language, you can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: “Each day I told my servants to prepare” or “Each day I told my servants to serve us the meat from” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 5 18 sp6n translate-unknown וְ⁠צִפֳּרִים֙ 1 It is likely that the birds were domesticated rather than wild, and if it would be helpful to your readers, you could use a term that indicates this. Alternate translation: “and various kinds of poultry” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 5 18 b1h5 figs-ellipsis וּ⁠בֵ֨ין עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת יָמִ֛ים בְּ⁠כָל־יַ֖יִן לְ⁠הַרְבֵּ֑ה 1 Nehemiah is once again leaving out some words that a sentence would ordinarily need to be complete. To make things clearer for your readers, you express the meaning more fully. Alternate translation: “Every ten days I also had my servants bring in an abundant supply of various kinds of wine” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 5 18 mil3 figs-idiom וּ⁠בֵ֨ין עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת יָמִ֛ים 1 This expression means “every ten days.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 18 b1h7 יַ֖יִן לְ⁠הַרְבֵּ֑ה 1 Alternate translation: “enough wine for everyone” NEH 5 18 b1h9 וְ⁠עִם־זֶ֗ה לֶ֤חֶם הַ⁠פֶּחָה֙ לֹ֣א בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי 1 As in [5:14](../05/14.md), “the bread of the governor” means “the governor’s food allowance.” The implication is that Nehemiah paid for all of the things he has just described at his own expense. If it would be clearer in your language, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “I paid for all of these things at my own expense. I did not accept the governor’s food allowance.” NEH 5 18 b1i1 figs-abstractnouns כָֽבְדָ֥ה הָ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה עַל־הָ⁠עָ֥ם הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 The abstract noun **bondage** refers to the way the people were struggling to survive in difficult times. If it would be clearer in your language, you can translate the idea behind it with a verb such as “struggle.” Alternate translation: “I knew that the people were struggling to survive” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 5 18 b1i3 figs-metaphor כָֽבְדָ֥ה הָ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה עַל־הָ⁠עָ֥ם הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 Here Nehemiah is speaking of ts bondage or struggle as if it were a great burden that the people were carrying, making their lives very difficult. Alternate translation: “I knew that the people were struggling to survive” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 5 18 b1i5 grammar-connect-logic-result כָֽבְדָ֥ה הָ⁠עֲבֹדָ֖ה עַל־הָ⁠עָ֥ם הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 You can put this before Nehemiah’s statement that he did not accept the governor’s food allowance, because it gives the reason why he refused it. Alternate translation: “I knew that the people were struggling to survive, so I did not accept the governor’s food allowance.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/grammar-connect-logic-result]]) NEH 5 19 b1i7 figs-aside זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֥⁠י אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י לְ⁠טוֹבָ֑ה 1 As in [4:4](../04/04.md), here Nehemiah speaks directly to God. You could indicate this by putting this verse in quotation marks. Review the note at 4:4 about asides like this if that would be helpful. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-aside]]) NEH 5 19 b1i9 figs-idiom זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֥⁠י…לְ⁠טוֹבָ֑ה 1 To remember someone **for good** is an idiom that means to reward someone with good things for the good that they have done. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 19 b1j1 figs-idiom זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֥⁠י אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י לְ⁠טוֹבָ֑ה 1 In this context, **remember** means to think about someone and consider what action you can take on their behalf. Nehemiah is not suggesting that God has forgotten him. Alternate translation: “think of me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 5 19 b1j3 figs-ellipsis כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֖יתִי עַל־הָ⁠עָ֥ם הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 Nehemiah is once again leaving out some words that a sentence would ordinarily need. He is asking God to do good things for him because of all the good things he has done for the people of Judah as their governor. Alternate translation: “reward me because of all the good that I have done for the people of Judah” (See: Ellipsis) NEH 6 intro k4df 0 # Nehemiah 06 General Notes
## Structure and formatting

The building of the wall is completed in this chapter.

The ULT sets the lines in 6:6-7 farther to the right on the page than the rest of the text because they are part of a long quotation.

## Special concepts in this chapter

### Miracle

Completing this city wall in only fifty-two days was considered proof that God had helped the Jews, especially given the opposition that they had experienced from the people in surrounding areas. NEH 6 1 gd7c translate-names לְ⁠סַנְבַלַּ֣ט וְ֠⁠טוֹבִיָּה 1 Sanballat…Tobiah These are the names of men. See how you translated them in [Nehemiah 2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 1 bxn2 translate-names וּ⁠לְ⁠גֶ֨שֶׁם 1 Geshem This is the name of a man. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 1 vi6v figs-synecdoche בָנִ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־הַ֣⁠חוֹמָ֔ה…לֹא־הֶעֱמַ֥דְתִּי 1 I had rebuilt the wall…I had not yet Nehemiah supervised the rebuilding of the wall and did not build it by himself. Alternate translation: “we had rebuilt the wall…we had not yet” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 6 1 ap2q figs-ellipsis פָּ֑רֶץ 1 any sections This refers to sections of the wall. Alternate translation: “any sections of the wall” or “any gaps in the city wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 6 2 n5nu figs-idiom וַ⁠יִּשְׁלַ֨ח…אֵלַ֣⁠י 1 sent to me This means that they sent a messenger with a message. Alternate translation: “sent a messenger to me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 6 2 rbv9 translate-names אוֹנ֑וֹ 1 Ono This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 3 d84v figs-synecdoche מְלָאכָ֤ה גְדוֹלָה֙ אֲנִ֣י עֹשֶׂ֔ה 1 I am doing a great work Nehemiah supervised the rebuilding of the wall. He did not build it by himself. Alternate translation: “We are doing a great work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 6 3 ee8i figs-rquestion לָ֣⁠מָּה תִשְׁבַּ֤ת הַ⁠מְּלָאכָה֙ כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַרְפֶּ֔⁠הָ וְ⁠יָרַדְתִּ֖י אֲלֵי⁠כֶֽם 1 Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? This rhetorical question is used to challenge Sanballat’s request. This can be written as a statement. Alternate translation: “I cannot let the work stop and come down to you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 6 3 t9gf וְ⁠יָרַדְתִּ֖י אֲלֵי⁠כֶֽם 1 down to you The word “down” is used here because the plain of Ono where they were requesting Nehemiah to come is at a lower elevation than Jerusalem. NEH 6 5 r8xc translate-ordinal וַ⁠יִּשְׁלַח֩ אֵלַ֨⁠י סַנְבַלַּ֜ט כַּ⁠דָּבָ֥ר הַ⁠זֶּ֛ה פַּ֥עַם חֲמִישִׁ֖ית אֶֽת־נַעֲר֑⁠וֹ 1 Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time Identifying this message separately means it is distinct in some way from the previous four messages and, therefore, should be noted. Alternate translation: “ Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way yet again” or “Sanballat sent his servant to me to deliver a fifth message” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 6 5 s6ag וְ⁠אִגֶּ֥רֶת פְּתוּחָ֖ה 1 an open letter The letter was an unsealed diplomatic communication. This was an insult to the recipient because the courier was free to read it and spread its contents among the people of the region. NEH 6 5 rx5j figs-metonymy בְּ⁠יָדֽ⁠וֹ 1 in his hand This means he had the letter in his possession, but he did not necessarily carry it in his hand at all times. Alternate translation: “in his possession” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 6 6 wy84 figs-activepassive בַּ⁠גּוֹיִ֤ם נִשְׁמָע֙ 1 It is reported among the nations This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “The rumor in the region is” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 6 6 z81q figs-explicit חֹשְׁבִ֣ים לִ⁠מְר֔וֹד 1 are planning to rebel This means that they are planning to rebel against Artaxerxes, the Persian king, who was currently ruling the Jews. Alternate translation: “are planning to rebel against Artaxerxes” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 6 7 n1rj יִשָּׁמַ֣ע לַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ 1 the king will hear “King Artaxerxes will hear” NEH 6 7 u185 וְ⁠עַתָּ֣ה לְכָ֔⁠ה 1 Therefore come “Therefore come meet with us” NEH 6 8 ei6j וָ⁠אֶשְׁלְחָ֤⁠ה אֵלָי⁠ו֙ לֵ⁠אמֹ֔ר 1 Then I sent word to him Here “I” refers to Nehemiah and “him” to Sanballat. NEH 6 8 ab7x לֹ֤א נִֽהְיָה֙ כַּ⁠דְּבָרִ֣ים הָ⁠אֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתָּ֣ה אוֹמֵ֑ר 1 No such things have occurred as you say “None of the things you have written have occurred” NEH 6 8 ds1y figs-metonymy כִּ֥י מִֽ⁠לִּבְּ⁠ךָ֖ אַתָּ֥ה בוֹדָֽא⁠ם 1 for within your heart you invented them Here the “heart” refers to the “mind,” that is, to one’s desires and thoughts. Alternate translation: “for within your mind you invented them” or “for you have made this up in your own imagination” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 6 9 p45k כִּ֣י כֻלָּ֗⁠ם מְיָֽרְאִ֤ים אוֹתָ֨⁠נוּ֙ 1 For they all wanted to make us afraid Here “they” refers to Nehemiah’s enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and their followers. The word “us” refers to the Jews. NEH 6 9 b5ij figs-explicit יִרְפּ֧וּ יְדֵי⁠הֶ֛ם מִן־הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֖ה 1 They will drop their hands from doing the work This is a descriptive phrase that means that they are stopping their work on the wall. Alternate translation: “The workers on the wall will stop doing the work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 6 9 j1dj figs-synecdoche חַזֵּ֥ק אֶת־יָדָֽ⁠י 1 strengthen my hands Here Nehemiah requests for God to strengthen him by asking him to strengthen his “hands.” Alternate translation: “strengthen me” or “give me courage” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 6 10 ybj6 translate-names שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה…דְּלָיָ֛ה…מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵ֖ל 1 Shemaiah…Delaiah…Mehetabel These are men’s names. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 10 k8xd figs-activepassive וְ⁠ה֣וּא עָצ֑וּר 1 who was confined in his home The writer does not give the reason for him being confined, so it is best to say that he was staying at home using the most general words possible. Alternate translation: “who could not leave his house” or “whom the authorities had ordered to stay in his house” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 6 11 syw3 figs-rquestion הַ⁠אִ֤ישׁ כָּמ֨וֹ⁠נִי֙ יִבְרָ֔ח וּ⁠מִ֥י כָמ֛וֹ⁠נִי אֲשֶׁר־יָב֥וֹא אֶל־הַ⁠הֵיכָ֖ל וָ⁠חָ֑י 1 Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? Nehemiah uses these rhetorical questions to emphasize that he will not do what Shemaiah has suggested. These questions may be written as statements. Alternate translation: “A man like me would not run away. A man like me would not go into the temple just to hide to stay alive.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 6 12 s2sf כִּ֤י הַ⁠נְּבוּאָה֙ דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלַ֔⁠י 1 but that he had prophesied against me “but that he had prophesied in order to oppose me” NEH 6 13 b27k וְ⁠חָטָ֑אתִי 1 and sin Using the temple as a place to hide was sinful. It may be helpful to make this explicit. Alternate translation: “and sin by misusing the temple” NEH 6 13 ji1g figs-idiom לְ⁠שֵׁ֣ם רָ֔ע 1 a bad name This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “so that they could give me a bad reputation” or “so that they could give a bad report about me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 6 14 nau4 זָכְרָ֧⁠ה 1 Call to mind This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “Remember” NEH 6 14 g3ch translate-names לְ⁠נוֹעַדְיָ֤ה 1 Noadiah This is the name of a woman. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 15 m52s figs-activepassive וַ⁠תִּשְׁלַם֙ הַֽ⁠חוֹמָ֔ה 1 So the wall was finished This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “We finished the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 6 15 g17x translate-hebrewmonths בְּ⁠עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַ⁠חֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לֶ⁠אֱל֑וּל 1 the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul “day 25 of the month of Elul.” Elul is the sixth month of the Hebrew calendar. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 6 15 ara3 translate-numbers לַ⁠חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּ⁠שְׁנַ֖יִם יֽוֹם 1 fifty-two days “52 days” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 6 16 t54c וַ⁠יִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּ⁠עֵינֵי⁠הֶ֑ם 1 they fell greatly in their own eyes “they thought much less of themselves” or “they lost confidence in themselves” NEH 6 16 py4c figs-activepassive מֵ⁠אֵ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֔י⁠נוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה הַ⁠מְּלָאכָ֥ה הַ⁠זֹּֽאת 1 the work was done with the help of our God This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “it was our God who helped us complete this work” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 6 17 zw37 figs-metonymy אִגְּרֹ֣תֵי⁠הֶ֔ם הוֹלְכ֖וֹת 1 sent many letters The nobles sent messengers to bring these letters to Tobiah. Alternate translation: “sent many messengers with letters” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 6 17 rx81 figs-personification וַ⁠אֲשֶׁ֥ר לְ⁠טוֹבִיָּ֖ה בָּא֥וֹת 1 Tobiah’s letters came Here Tobiah’s letters are personified as coming by themselves, when they were actually brought by messengers. Alternate translation: “Tobiah sent letters” or “Tobiah sent many messengers with letters” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 6 17 rcx8 translate-names טוֹבִיָּ֑ה 1 Tobiah See how you translated this man’s name in [Nehemiah 2:10](../02/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 18 z2uq figs-metaphor בַּעֲלֵ֤י שְׁבוּעָה֙ ל֔⁠וֹ 1 who were bound by an oath to him This speaks of people being loyal to Tobiah because they had pledged an oath to him as if their oath were a rope that bound their bodies. Alternate translation: “who had sworn an oath to him” or “who had made an oath and were loyal to him” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 6 18 rn1q translate-names חָתָ֥ן ה֖וּא לִ⁠שְׁכַנְיָ֣ה 1 he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah This means that Tobiah was married to the daughter of Shecaniah. See how you translated “Shecaniah” in [Nehemiah 3:29](../03/29.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 18 id1x translate-names אָרַ֑ח וִֽ⁠יהוֹחָנָ֣ן 1 Arah…Jehohanan These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 18 y3lg translate-names מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם…בֶּֽרֶכְיָֽה 1 Meshullam…Berechiah These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:4](../03/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 6 19 mj72 גַּ֣ם טוֹבֹתָ֗י⁠ו הָי֤וּ אֹמְרִים֙ לְ⁠פָנַ֔⁠י וּ⁠דְבָרַ֕⁠י הָי֥וּ מוֹצִיאִ֖ים ל֑⁠וֹ 1 They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him “The Jewish nobles told me about Tobiah’s good deeds and then told him about my responses” NEH 6 19 e3zt figs-activepassive אִגְּר֛וֹת שָׁלַ֥ח טוֹבִיָּ֖ה לְ⁠יָֽרְאֵֽ⁠נִי 1 Letters were sent to me from Tobiah This can be stated in active form. Tobiah sent messengers to bring the letters to Nehemiah. Alternate translation: “Tobiah sent letters to me” or “Tobiah sent messengers to bring letters to me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 7 intro qk4v 0 # Nehemiah 07 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Genealogy

The people who returned from Persia were counted according to their families. Nehemiah ensured that those who lived in Jerusalem had a completely Jewish ancestry.

### Different lists
This list is paralleled in [Ezra 2](../../ezr/02/01.md). The lists do contain some differences in numbers. This is probably due to the timing of their counting. They were likely counted at different times. NEH 7 1 g3zz figs-activepassive וַ⁠יְהִ֗י כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִבְנְתָה֙ הַ⁠חוֹמָ֔ה 1 When the wall was finished This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “When we had finished the wall” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 1 fk6l figs-synecdoche וָ⁠אַעֲמִ֖יד הַ⁠דְּלָת֑וֹת 1 I had set up the doors in place This was done with help. Alternate translation: “I and others hung the doors” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 7 1 wkp3 figs-activepassive וַ⁠יִּפָּֽקְד֛וּ הַ⁠שּׁוֹעֲרִ֥ים וְ⁠הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים וְ⁠הַ⁠לְוִיִּֽם 1 the gatekeepers and singers and Levites had been appointed This can be stated in active form. Possible meanings are: (1) Nehemiah appointed them. Alternate translation: “I assigned the gatekeepers and singers and Levites to their tasks” or (2) Someone else appointed them. Alternate translation: “they assigned the gatekeepers and singers and Levites to their tasks” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 1 lk9v הַ⁠שּׁוֹעֲרִ֥ים 1 gatekeepers people assigned to each gate, responsible to control access to the city or temple, as well as to open and close the gates at times and for reasons set by the administrator NEH 7 1 f8ks וְ⁠הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים 1 singers vocal musicians who led in worship, in processions, and ceremonies, producing music and chants that emphasized and enhanced the occasion NEH 7 2 ykr9 translate-names חֲנָ֣נִי…חֲנַנְיָ֛ה 1 Hanani…Hananiah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 2 zy5q וָ⁠אֲצַוֶּ֞ה אֶת־חֲנָ֣נִי אָחִ֗⁠י וְ⁠אֶת־חֲנַנְיָ֛ה שַׂ֥ר 1 I gave my brother Hanani charge “I gave the order for my brother Hanani to be the manager” NEH 7 2 iqf3 שַׂ֥ר הַ⁠בִּירָ֖ה 1 who had oversight of the fortress “who was in charge of the fortress” NEH 7 2 dx6d וְ⁠יָרֵ֥א אֶת־הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵ⁠רַבִּֽים 1 feared God more than many “feared God more than many other people” NEH 7 3 y2jk וָאֹמַ֣ר לָ⁠הֶ֗ם 1 I said to them The word “them” refers to Hanani and Hananiah. NEH 7 3 n55g לֹ֣א יִפָּֽתְח֞וּ שַׁעֲרֵ֤י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ עַד־חֹ֣ם הַ⁠שֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וְ⁠עַ֨ד הֵ֥ם עֹמְדִ֛ים יָגִ֥יפוּ הַ⁠דְּלָת֖וֹת וֶ⁠אֱחֹ֑זוּ 1 Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are on guard, you may shut the doors and bar them Possible meanings are (1) these actions were done by Hanani and Hananiah or (2) these actions were done by Hanani and Hananiah with the help of the gatekeepers or (3) the gatekeepers did these actions under the direction of Hanani and Hananiah. NEH 7 3 w3hi חֹ֣ם הַ⁠שֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ 1 the sun is hot “the sun is high in the sky” NEH 7 3 b2es וְ⁠עַ֨ד הֵ֥ם עֹמְדִ֛ים יָגִ֥יפוּ הַ⁠דְּלָת֖וֹת וֶ⁠אֱחֹ֑זוּ 1 While the gatekeepers are on guard, you may shut the doors and bar them “Shut the doors and bar them while the gatekeepers are still on guard” NEH 7 3 mir9 מִשְׁמְרוֹת֙ 1 gatekeepers See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md) NEH 7 3 ed9m יָגִ֥יפוּ הַ⁠דְּלָת֖וֹת וֶ⁠אֱחֹ֑זוּ 1 shut the doors and bar them “close the gates and lock them” NEH 7 3 he4e וְ⁠הַעֲמֵ֗יד מִשְׁמְרוֹת֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם 1 Appoint guards from those who live in Jerusalem “Assign guards from those people who live in Jerusalem” NEH 7 3 wf26 בְּ⁠מִשְׁמָר֔⁠וֹ 1 guard station “guard post” or “guard duty place” NEH 7 4 y6y8 figs-activepassive וְ⁠אֵ֥ין בָּתִּ֖ים בְּנוּיִֽם 1 no houses had yet been rebuilt This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “the people had not yet rebuilt the houses” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 5 wjd3 figs-metonymy וַ⁠יִּתֵּ֤ן אֱלֹהַ⁠י֙ אֶל־לִבִּ֔⁠י 1 put into my heart Here Nehemiah’s “heart” refers to his thoughts and will. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 2:12](../02/12.md). Alternate translation: “inspired me” or “led me” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 7 5 pzu6 לְ⁠הִתְיַחֵ֑שׂ 1 to enroll them “to list and register them” NEH 7 5 avw2 סֵ֤פֶר הַ⁠יַּ֨חַשׂ֙ 1 the book of the genealogy This was a book that no longer exists. NEH 7 5 bz2p figs-activepassive וָ⁠אֶמְצָ֖א כָּת֥וּב בּֽ⁠וֹ 1 found the following written in it This can be expressed in active form. Alternate translation: “found that someone had written the following in it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 6 ud5m אֵ֣לֶּה׀ בְּנֵ֣י הַ⁠מְּדִינָ֗ה 1 These are the people of the province “These are the descendants of this region” NEH 7 6 vx13 הָ⁠עֹלִים֙ מִ⁠שְּׁבִ֣י 1 went up out of “returned from” or “came back from” NEH 7 6 r578 figs-idiom הָ⁠עֹלִים֙ 1 went up This is an idiom that refers to traveling toward Jerusalem, which was on higher ground than the surrounding area. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 7 6 hb7v figs-metonymy אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶגְלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֖ר מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֑ל 1 whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took into exile “whom Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of Babylon, took away from their home country.” The army of Babylon did this under the command of Nebuchadnezzar. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 7 7 mu5h translate-names זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל יֵשׁ֡וּעַ נְחֶמְיָ֡ה עֲ֠זַרְיָה רַֽעַמְיָ֨ה נַחֲמָ֜נִי מָרְדֳּכַ֥י בִּלְשָׁ֛ן מִסְפֶּ֥רֶת בִּגְוַ֖י נְח֣וּם בַּעֲנָ֑ה 1 Zerubbabel…Jeshua…Nehemiah…Azariah…Raamiah…Nahamani…Mordecai…Bilshan…Mispereth…Bigvai…Nehum…Baanah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 7 fz51 מִסְפַּ֕ר אַנְשֵׁ֖י 1 The number of the men A census had been taken when the Israelites first returned to Jerusalem after the exile. The numbers represent how many men belonged to each family group. This sentence introduces the information in the following verses. NEH 7 8 r3xa translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is recounting the number of people who returned from exile. The people were grouped by families according to the name of their patriarchs. The number represents the number of men in each family. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 8 l98v translate-names פַרְעֹ֔שׁ 1 Parosh These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 9 gy8k translate-names שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה 1 Shephatiah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 10 nq9e translate-names אָרַ֔ח 1 Arah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 11 jc4a translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 11 v6jn translate-names פַחַ֥ת מוֹאָ֛ב…יֵשׁ֖וּעַ וְ⁠יוֹאָ֑ב 1 Pahath-Moab…Jeshua…Joab These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 11 my8s מוֹאָ֛ב לִ⁠בְנֵ֥י יֵשׁ֖וּעַ וְ⁠יוֹאָ֑ב 1 through the descendants of Jeshua and Joab “that is, the descendants of Jeshua and Joab” NEH 7 12 d7wf translate-names עֵילָ֔ם 1 Elam This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 13 sbz7 translate-names זַתּ֔וּא 1 Zattu This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 14 v5zr translate-names זַכָּ֔י 1 Zakkai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 15 a26a translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 15 x1bd translate-names בִנּ֔וּי 1 Binnui This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 16 ay45 translate-names בֵבָ֔י 1 Bebai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 17 h84y translate-names עַזְגָּ֔ד 1 Azgad These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 18 b95k translate-names אֲדֹ֣נִיקָ֔ם 1 Adonikam This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 19 lhq4 translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 19 iy74 translate-names בִגְוָ֔ 1 Bigvai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 20 d5wk translate-names עָדִ֔ין 1 Adin This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 21 mxg1 translate-names אָטֵ֥ר 1 Ater This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 21 l797 figs-ellipsis בְּנֵֽי־אָטֵ֥ר לְ⁠חִזְקִיָּ֖ה 1 The descendants of Ater, of Hezekiah The writer has shortened this sentence. Alternate translation: “the descendants of Ater, who is a descendant of Hezekiah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 7 22 r3ee translate-names חָשֻׁ֔ם 1 Hashum This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 23 yyf7 translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 23 v6eh translate-names בֵצָ֔י 1 Bezai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 24 j9rb translate-names חָרִ֔יף 1 Hariph This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 25 sj6p translate-names גִבְע֖וֹן 1 Gibeon This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 26 sde6 translate-names בֵֽית־לֶ֨חֶם֙ וּ⁠נְטֹפָ֔ה 1 Bethlehem and Netophah These are the names of places in Judah. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 27 xmr1 translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 27 v2tb translate-names עֲנָת֔וֹת 1 Anathoth This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 28 b1sd translate-names בֵית־עַזְמָ֖וֶת 1 Beth Azmaveth This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 29 y9ek translate-names קִרְיַ֤ת יְעָרִים֙ כְּפִירָ֣ה וּ⁠בְאֵר֔וֹת 1 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 30 ncc2 translate-names הָֽ⁠רָמָה֙ וָ⁠גָ֔בַע 1 Ramah and Geba These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 31 i39d translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 31 ty2q translate-names מִכְמָ֔ס 1 Michmas This is the name of a place. (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 32 b4qw translate-names בֵֽית־אֵל֙ וְ⁠הָ⁠עָ֔י 1 Bethel and Ai This is the name of a place. (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 33 dbu1 translate-names נְב֛וֹ 1 Nebo This is the name of a place. (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 34 d1vy translate-names עֵילָ֣ם 1 Elam This is the name of a place. (See [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 35 wz53 translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 35 s9ek translate-names חָרִ֔ם 1 Harim This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 36 avk6 translate-names יְרֵח֔וֹ 1 Jericho This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 37 b9f2 translate-names לֹד֙ חָדִ֣יד וְ⁠אוֹנ֔וֹ 1 Lod, Hadid, and Ono This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 38 rla1 translate-names סְנָאָ֔ה 1 Senaah This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 39 x7hb translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 39 xwy8 translate-names יְדַֽעְיָה֙…יֵשׁ֔וּעַ 1 Jedaiah…Jeshua These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 39 mk8g figs-metonymy לְ⁠בֵ֣ית יֵשׁ֔וּעַ 1 of the house of Jeshua The word “house” is a metonym for family. Alternate translation: “from the family of Jeshua” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 7 40 kd29 translate-names אִמֵּ֔ר 1 Immer This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 41 xd2z translate-names פַשְׁח֔וּר 1 Pashhur This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 42 ias1 translate-names חָרִ֔ם 1 Harim This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 43 h37e translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 43 v5s3 translate-names יֵשׁ֧וּעַ לְ⁠קַדְמִיאֵ֛ל…לְ⁠הוֹדְוָ֖ה 1 Jeshua…Kadmiel…Hodevah These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 44 ht7l translate-names אָסָ֔ף 1 Asaph This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 44 v68g הַֽ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֑ים 1 singers See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 7 45 wy4p translate-names שַׁלּ֤וּם…אָטֵר֙…טַלְמֹ֣ן…עַקּ֔וּב…חֲטִיטָ֖א…שֹׁבָ֑י 1 Shallum…Ater…Talmon…Akkub…Hatita…Shobai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 45 b7ne הַ⁠שֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים 1 gatekeepers See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 7 46 t2j5 0 General Information: These verses continue the names of people whose descendants returned from the exile. NEH 7 46 st75 translate-names צִחָ֥א…חֲשֻׂפָ֖א…טַבָּעֽוֹת 1 Ziha…Hasupha…Tabbaoth These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 47 d6np translate-names קֵירֹ֥ס…סִיעָ֖א…פָדֽוֹן 1 Keros…Sia…Padon These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 47 mn22 סִיעָ֖א 1 Sia This is the same man known by the name Siaha in Ezra 2:44. NEH 7 48 ln8l translate-names לְבָנָ֥ה…חֲגָבָ֖ה…שַׁלְמָֽי 1 Lebana,…Hagaba…Shalmai These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 49 zpn7 translate-names חָנָ֥ן…גִדֵּ֖ל…גָֽחַר 1 Hanan…Giddel…Gahar These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 50 s8hz 0 General Information: These verses continue the names of people whose descendants returned from the exile. NEH 7 50 cd4k translate-names רְאָיָ֥ה…רְצִ֖ין…נְקוֹדָֽא 1 Reaiah…Rezin…Nekoda These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 51 u8ea translate-names גַזָּ֥ם…עֻזָּ֖א…פָסֵֽחַ 1 Gazzam…Uzza…Paseah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 52 i1dd translate-names בֵסַ֥י…מְעוּנִ֖ים…נפושסים 1 Besai…Meunim…Nephushesim These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 53 h78b 0 General Information: These verses continue the names of people whose descendants returned from the exile. NEH 7 53 u7qn translate-names בַקְבּ֥וּק…חֲקוּפָ֖א…חַרְחֽוּר 1 Bakbuk…Hakupha…Harhur These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 54 jat5 translate-names בַצְלִ֥ית…מְחִידָ֖א…חַרְשָֽׁא 1 Bazluth…Mehida…Harsha These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 55 w15p translate-names בַרְק֥וֹס…סִֽיסְרָ֖א…תָֽמַח 1 Barkos…Sisera…Temah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 56 i1b4 translate-names נְצִ֖יחַ…חֲטִיפָֽא 1 Neziah…Hatipha These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 57 w9sx translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 57 ma7v translate-names סוֹטַ֥י…סוֹפֶ֖רֶת…פְרִידָֽא 1 Sotai…Sophereth…Perida These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 57 xb5j סוֹפֶ֖רֶת 1 Sophereth This is the name of a man who is called Hassophereth in Ezra 2:55. NEH 7 57 ei9x פְרִידָֽא 1 Perida This is the name of a man who is also called Peruda in Ezra 2:55. NEH 7 58 y1jl translate-names יַעְלָ֥א…דַרְק֖וֹן…גִדֵּֽל 1 Jaala…Darkon…Giddel These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 59 vwg5 translate-names שְׁפַטְיָ֣ה…חַטִּ֗יל…פֹּכֶ֥רֶת הַצְּבָיִ֖ים…אָמֽוֹן 1 Shephatiah…Hattil…Pochereth Hazzebaim…Amon These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 61 a15h translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 61 bgx3 figs-idiom הָֽ⁠עוֹלִים֙ 1 went up This is an idiom that refers to traveling toward Jerusalem, which was on higher ground than the surrounding area. Alternate translation: “returned” or “came back” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 7 61 c7ta translate-names מִ⁠תֵּ֥ל מֶ֨לַח֙ תֵּ֣ל חַרְשָׁ֔א כְּר֥וּב אַדּ֖וֹן וְ⁠אִמֵּ֑ר 1 Tel Melah…Tel Harsha…Kerub…Addon…Immer These are names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 62 np4h translate-names דְלָיָ֥ה…טוֹבִיָּ֖ה…נְקוֹדָ֑א 1 Delaiah…Tobiah…Nekoda These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 63 i59a translate-names חֳבַיָּ֖ה…הַקּ֑וֹץ…בַרְזִלַּ֗י 1 Habaiah…Hakkoz…Barzillai These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 7 64 m2qd אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ כְתָבָ֛⁠ם הַ⁠מִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים 1 These sought their records among those enrolled by their genealogy “They sought their written genealogical records” or “They searched their written genealogical records” NEH 7 64 n9vy אֵ֗לֶּה בִּקְשׁ֧וּ 1 These sought “These” refers to the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai ([Nehemiah 7:63](../07/63.md)). NEH 7 64 bl4n figs-activepassive וְ⁠לֹ֣א נִמְצָ֑א 1 but they could not be found This can be expressed in active form. Alternate translation: “but they could not find their records” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 64 iyy1 figs-activepassive וַ⁠יְגֹֽאֲל֖וּ מִן־הַ⁠כְּהֻנָּֽה 1 they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean This can be translated in active form. The abstract noun “priesthood” can be translated as the verb “work as priests.” Alternate translation: “the governor treated them as if they were unclean and did not allow them to work as priests” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 7 65 qnn2 figs-activepassive עַ֛ד עֲמֹ֥ד הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֖ן לְ⁠אוּרִ֥ים וְ⁠תוּמִּֽים 1 until there rose up a priest with Urim and Thummim This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “until a priest with Urim and Thummim approved” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 7 65 cij9 translate-unknown לְ⁠אוּרִ֥ים וְ⁠תוּמִּֽים 1 Urim and Thummim These were sacred stones that the high priest carried on his breastplate and used at times to determine God’s will. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 7 66 t4xj translate-numbers 0 Connecting Statement: Nehemiah is continuing to recount the number of people who returned from exile. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 66 j9fe כָּל־הַ⁠קָּהָ֖ל כְּ⁠אֶחָ֑ד 1 The whole assembly together “The whole group together” NEH 7 66 av51 אַרְבַּ֣ע רִבּ֔וֹא אַלְפַּ֖יִם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת וְ⁠שִׁשִּֽׁים 1 was 42,360 “was 42,360 people” NEH 7 67 se3x מִ֠⁠לְּ⁠בַד עַבְדֵי⁠הֶ֤ם וְ⁠אַמְהֹֽתֵי⁠הֶם֙ 1 singing men and women “male singers and female singers” NEH 7 69 d72q translate-numbers אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים וַ⁠חֲמִשָּׁ֑הס…שֵׁ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֔ים שְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת וְ⁠עֶשְׂרִֽים 1 435…6,720 “four hundred and thirty-five…six thousand seven hundred and twenty.” These are numbers of animals brought back. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 70 e1e9 רָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽ⁠אָב֔וֹת 1 the heads of ancestors’ families “the chief patriarchs” or “the leaders of the clans” NEH 7 70 le3g נָתַ֣ן לָ⁠אוֹצָ֗ר 1 gave to the treasury “put into the treasury” NEH 7 70 wf3a translate-numbers דַּרְכְּמֹנִ֥ים אֶ֨לֶף֙ 1 one thousand darics “1,000 darics” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 70 c7ug translate-bmoney זָהָ֞ב דַּרְכְּמֹנִ֥ים 1 darics of gold A daric was a small gold coin that people in the Persian Empire used. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-bmoney]]) NEH 7 70 bu8p translate-numbers מִזְרָק֣וֹת חֲמִשִּׁ֔ים 1 50 basins “fifty basins.” These are large bowls. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 70 bu22 translate-numbers כָּתְנוֹת֙ כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים וַ⁠חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֽוֹת 1 530 priestly garments “five hundred thirty priestly garments.” These are items of clothing worn by the priests. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 71 kzg2 translate-numbers דַּרְכְּמוֹנִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֣י רִבּ֑וֹת 1 twenty thousand darics “20,000 darics” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 71 jxn7 translate-numbers וְ⁠כֶ֕סֶף מָנִ֖ים אַלְפַּ֥יִם וּ⁠מָאתָֽיִ 1 2,200 minas of silver “two thousand two hundred minas of silver.” A mina is about one half of a kilogram in weight. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-bweight]]) NEH 7 72 zg2v translate-numbers מָנִ֣ים אַלְפָּ֑יִם 1 two thousand minas “2,000 minas” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 72 g529 translate-numbers וְ⁠כָתְנֹ֥ת כֹּֽהֲנִ֖ים שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וְ⁠שִׁבְעָֽה 1 sixty-seven priestly garments “67 priestly garments” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 7 73 e7np וְ⁠הַ⁠שּׁוֹעֲרִים֩ 1 gatekeepers See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 7 73 a2ub וְ⁠הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֨ים 1 singers See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 7 73 jaj3 figs-explicit וּ⁠מִן־הָ⁠עָ֧ם 1 some of the people The implied information is that this refers to some of the Israelites who were not priests or other temple workers. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 7 73 znc4 וְ⁠כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל 1 all Israel Possible meanings are: (1) all the groups of Israelites that are listed in this verse or (2) the rest of the Israelites who did not work in the temple. NEH 7 73 n26r translate-ordinal הַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ⁠שְּׁבִיעִ֔י 1 the seventh month “month 7.” This is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is during the last part of September and the first part of October on Western calendars. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]]) NEH 7 73 gdj2 בְּ⁠עָרֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 were settled in their cities “lived in their own cities” NEH 8 intro w38v 0 # Nehemiah 08 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Reading of the law

During the exile, the Hebrew language was no longer spoken. Only the priests and Levites still understood it. Ezra read the book of the law to the people in Hebrew and the Levites walked among the crowd translating it into Aramaic for the people to understand. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/priest]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses]])

### Festival of Shelters

After they heard Ezra read the law of Moses, the people obeyed it by making temporary shelters for themselves with tree branches. They did this to remember that their ancestors slept in shelters when they came out of slavery in Egypt. NEH 8 1 q5ih figs-hyperbole וַ⁠יֵּאָסְפ֤וּ כָל־הָ⁠עָם֙ כְּ⁠אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֔ד 1 All the people gathered as one man The word “all” is a generalization that indicates the people as a whole came together. Alternate translation: “The people gathered all together” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 8 1 f6t8 שַֽׁעַר־הַ⁠מָּ֑יִם 1 Water Gate This was the name of a large opening or doorway in the wall. NEH 8 1 fdh4 אֶת־סֵ֨פֶר֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה 1 the book of the law of Moses This would have been all or part of the first five books of the Old Testament. NEH 8 2 id7q translate-hebrewmonths בְּ⁠י֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַ⁠חֹ֥דֶשׁ הַ⁠שְּׁבִיעִֽי 1 On the first day of the seventh month This is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. The first day of the seventh month is near the middle of September on Western calendars. Alternate translation: “On day 1 of month 7” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 8 2 e89a וַ⁠יָּבִ֣יא…אֶֽת־הַ⁠תּוֹרָ֞ה 1 brought the law “brought The Book of the Law” NEH 8 2 j8yl וְ⁠כֹ֖ל מֵבִ֣ין לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֑עַ 1 all who could hear and understand This would include children who were old enough to understand what was being read. NEH 8 3 iv9y לִ⁠פְנֵ֨י הָ⁠רְח֜וֹב 1 He faced the open area “He turned towards the open area” NEH 8 3 pkz7 וַ⁠יִּקְרָא 1 he read from it Here “it” refers to the Book of the law of Moses. NEH 8 4 lk8k translate-names מַתִּתְיָ֡ה וְ⁠שֶׁ֡מַע וַ֠⁠עֲנָיָה וְ⁠אוּרִיָּ֧ה וְ⁠חִלְקִיָּ֛ה וּ⁠מַעֲשֵׂיָ֖ה…פְּ֠דָיָה וּ⁠מִֽישָׁאֵ֧ל וּ⁠מַלְכִּיָּ֛ה וְ⁠חָשֻׁ֥ם וְ⁠חַשְׁבַּדָּ֖נָה זְכַרְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּֽם 1 Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah…Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 8 5 t5lf figs-abstractnouns וַ⁠יִּפְתַּ֨ח עֶזְרָ֤א הַ⁠סֵּ֨פֶר֙ לְ⁠עֵינֵ֣י כָל־הָ⁠עָ֔ם 1 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people The abstract noun “sight” can be expressed with the verb “see.” Alternate translation: “Everyone saw Ezra open the book” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 5 wqg8 הַ⁠סֵּ֨פֶר֙ 1 the book “The Book of the Law” NEH 8 5 ln1z מֵ⁠עַ֥ל כָּל־הָ⁠עָ֖ם הָיָ֑ה 1 he was standing above the people “he was standing higher than the people” NEH 8 5 yv2u figs-explicit וּ⁠כְ⁠פִתְח֖⁠וֹ עָֽמְד֥וּ כָל־הָ⁠עָֽם 1 when he opened it all the people stood up The people stood up out of respect for God’s word. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 8 6 x9v8 figs-abstractnouns וַ⁠יְבָ֣רֶךְ עֶזְרָ֔א אֶת־יְהוָ֥ה 1 Ezra gave thanks to Yahweh The abstract noun “thanks” can be translated as a verb. Alternate translation: “Ezra thanked Yahweh” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 8 s5er וַֽ⁠יִּקְרְא֥וּ בַ⁠סֵּ֛פֶר 1 They read in the book The word “They” here refers to the Levites. NEH 8 8 vsq9 figs-abstractnouns מְפֹרָ֑שׁ וְ⁠שׂ֣וֹם שֶׂ֔כֶל וַ⁠יָּבִ֖ינוּ בַּ⁠מִּקְרָֽא 1 making it clear with interpretation and giving the meaning The abstract nouns “interpretation” and “meaning” can be translated as verbs. Alternate translation: “clearly interpreting and explaining it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 9 wky3 figs-hyperbole כִּ֤י בוֹכִים֙ כָּל־הָ⁠עָ֔ם 1 For all the people wept This is a generalization that indicates there was great weeping among the people. Alternate translation: “For the people wept greatly” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 8 10 smq2 figs-explicit אִכְל֨וּ מַשְׁמַנִּ֜ים וּ⁠שְׁת֣וּ מַֽמְתַקִּ֗ים 1 eat the fat and have something sweet to drink The implied information is that the people were told to feast on rich food and sweet drinks. Alternate translation: “eat rich food and drink something sweet” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 8 10 ach1 figs-activepassive וְ⁠אַל־תֵּ֣עָצֵ֔בוּ 1 Do not be grieved This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “Do not grieve” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 8 10 sni7 figs-abstractnouns כִּֽי־חֶדְוַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה הִ֥יא מָֽעֻזְּ⁠כֶֽם 1 for the joy of Yahweh is your strength The abstract nouns “joy” and “strength” can be expressed as verbs or adjectives. Alternate translation: “rejoicing in Yahweh will protect you” or “being joyful in Yahweh will be your strong refuge” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 11 sxx6 הַ֔סּוּ 1 Hush! “Be quiet!” or “Be silent!” NEH 8 11 fjz6 figs-activepassive וְ⁠אַל־תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ 1 Do not be grieved This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “Do not grieve” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 8 12 z1gc figs-abstractnouns וְ⁠לַ⁠עֲשׂ֖וֹת שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה 1 celebrate with great joy The abstract noun “joy” can be expressed as a verb. Alternate translation: “rejoice greatly” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 12 xsf5 figs-activepassive בַּ⁠דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹדִ֖יעוּ לָ⁠הֶֽם 1 the words that were made known to them This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “the words that he declared to them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 8 13 uj5j translate-ordinal וּ⁠בַ⁠יּ֣וֹם הַ⁠שֵּׁנִ֡י 1 On the second day “On day 2” or “On the next day” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 8 13 y48u figs-abstractnouns וּ⁠לְ⁠הַשְׂכִּ֖יל אֶל 1 to gain insight from The abstract noun “insight” can be expressed as a verb. Alternate translation: “to understand” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 14 ur1h יֵשְׁב֨וּ…בַּ⁠סֻּכּ֛וֹת 1 should live in shelters These were temporary shelters that people made out of branches and leaves. NEH 8 14 efg4 translate-ordinal בַּ⁠חֹ֥דֶשׁ הַ⁠שְּׁבִיעִֽי 1 the seventh month “month 7.” This is the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar. It is during the last part of September and the first part of October on Western calendars. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]]) NEH 8 15 rq6s וַ⁠אֲשֶׁ֣ר יַשְׁמִ֗יעוּ 1 They should make a proclamation “They should announce” NEH 8 15 f9c2 translate-unknown הֲדַס֙ 1 myrtle a kind of small tree with colorful flowers (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 8 15 es8r עֵ֣ץ עָבֹ֑ת 1 shade trees “leafy trees” NEH 8 15 jb2s figs-activepassive כַּ⁠כָּתֽוּב 1 as it is written This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “as Moses wrote about it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 8 16 dl2y וַ⁠יַּעֲשׂוּ֩ לָ⁠הֶ֨ם סֻכּ֜וֹת 1 made themselves shelters “each built their own shelters” NEH 8 16 krx4 שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠מַּ֔יִם…שַׁ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם 1 Water Gate…Gate of Ephraim These are names of large openings or doorways in the wall. NEH 8 16 b74m וּ⁠בִ⁠רְח֖וֹב שַׁ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם 1 in the square at the Gate of Ephraim “in the open place by the Gate of Ephraim” NEH 8 17 n31n מִ⁠ימֵי֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ 1 For since the days of Joshua “From the days of Joshua” NEH 8 17 e32u translate-names בִּן־נ֥וּן 1 son of Nun “Nun” here is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 8 17 wyd6 figs-abstractnouns וַ⁠תְּהִ֥י שִׂמְחָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד 1 their joy was very great The abstract noun “joy” can be expressed as an adjective. Alternate translation: “the people were very joyful” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 8 18 g9rl figs-idiom י֣וֹם׀ בְּ⁠י֔וֹם 1 day by day This idiom means “each day.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 8 18 j9aj figs-explicit מִן־הַ⁠יּוֹם֙ הָֽ⁠רִאשׁ֔וֹן עַ֖ד הַ⁠יּ֣וֹם הָ⁠אַחֲר֑וֹן 1 from the first day to the last The implied information is that it was during the entire week of the festival. Alternate translation: “from the first day to the last day of the week” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 8 18 c1cp וַ⁠יַּֽעֲשׂוּ־חָג֙ 1 They kept the festival “They made a feast” or “They celebrated the festival” NEH 8 18 er1u translate-ordinal וּ⁠בַ⁠יּ֧וֹם הַ⁠שְּׁמִינִ֛י 1 on the eighth day “on day 8” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 8 18 sfx4 עֲצֶ֖רֶת 1 solemn assembly This was a special religious gathering. NEH 8 18 cey3 figs-explicit כַּ⁠מִּשְׁפָּֽט 1 in obedience to the decree The implied information is that “the decree” was the command of Yahweh about how the Festival of Shelters was to end. Alternate translation: “as God had commanded” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 intro sj1h 0 # Nehemiah 09 General Notes
## Structure and formatting

This chapter and the next one form a single section.

## Special concepts in this chapter

### Prayer to God

The people prayed and thanked God for his care for them and the blessings he gave to them. They also confessed their sin of disobeying him. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/bless]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/confess]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin]])

### Learning from their ancestor’s mistakes
This chapter teaches that the Jews learned from the mistakes of their ancestors. They became determined to worship Yahweh alone, to not intermarry with other peoples, and to worship Yahweh as the law of Moses instructed them. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses]])

### Recalling the great power of God
It was common to recall the great things God did for Israel. This is a reminder to Israel of God’s power. It is intended to bring the people to repentance and proper worship of Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/repent]]) NEH 9 1 w8w8 translate-hebrewmonths וּ⁠בְ⁠יוֹם֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְ⁠אַרְבָּעָ֜ה לַ⁠חֹ֣דֶשׁ הַ⁠זֶּ֗ה 1 the twenty-fourth day of the same month “the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month” This is near the middle of October on Western calendars. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-hebrewmonths]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 9 1 lm7m נֶאֶסְפ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ 1 the people of Israel were assembled “the people of Israel came together” NEH 9 1 irv4 figs-explicit וּ⁠בְ⁠שַׂקִּ֔ים וַ⁠אֲדָמָ֖ה עֲלֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 they were wearing sackcloth, and they put dust on their heads This was in order to show how sorry they were for the wrong things they and their ancestors had done. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 2 xbs1 זֶ֣רַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל 1 The descendants of Israel “The Israelites” NEH 9 2 qx58 וַ⁠יִּבָּֽדְלוּ֙…מִ⁠כֹּ֖ל בְּנֵ֣י נֵכָ֑ר 1 separated themselves from all the foreigners “no longer had anything to do with those who were not Israelites” NEH 9 2 vhc6 וַ⁠יַּעַמְד֗וּ וַ⁠יִּתְוַדּוּ֙ עַל־חַטֹּ֣אתֵי⁠הֶ֔ם וַ⁠עֲוֺנ֖וֹת אֲבֹתֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 They stood and confessed their own sins and the evil actions of their ancestors “They admitted the wrong things that they had done and also the wrong things their forefathers had done” NEH 9 3 q5p1 וַ⁠יָּק֨וּמוּ֙ 1 They stood up All the Israelites stood up NEH 9 3 je9t מִתְוַדִּ֣ים 1 they were confessing “they were admitting the wrong things they had done” NEH 9 3 qe6e וּ⁠מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔ים 1 bowing down before “worshiping” or “praising” NEH 9 4 bc94 וַ⁠יָּ֜קָם עַֽל־מַֽעֲלֵ֣ה הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֗ם יֵשׁ֨וּעַ וּ⁠בָנִ֜י 1 The Levites, Jeshua, Bani…stood on the stairs Some versions translate, “Jeshua, Bani…stood on the stairs built for the Levites” NEH 9 4 zl5j translate-names יֵשׁ֨וּעַ וּ⁠בָנִ֜י קַדְמִיאֵ֧ל שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה בֻּנִּ֥י שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה בָּנִ֣י כְנָ֑נִי 1 Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani men’s names (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 5 j96x וַ⁠יֹּאמְר֣וּ הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֡ם…ק֗וּמוּ 1 Then the Levites…said, “Stand up…ever.” Here the Levites are speaking to the people of Israel. NEH 9 5 u4pu בָּרֲכוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה 1 give praise to Yahweh “bless Yahweh” NEH 9 5 yk5b translate-names יֵשׁ֣וּעַ וְ֠⁠קַדְמִיאֵל בָּנִ֨י…שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֤ה…שְׁבַנְיָ֣ה 1 Jeshua…Kadmiel…Bani…Sherebiah…Shebaniah These are the names of men. See how you translated them in [Nehemiah 9:4](./04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 5 m3eu translate-names חֲשַׁבְנְיָ֜ה שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֤ה הֽוֹדִיָּה֙…פְתַֽחְיָ֔ה 1 Hashabneiah…Hodiah…Pethahiah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 5 tve4 וִ⁠יבָֽרְכוּ֙ שֵׁ֣ם כְּבוֹדֶ֔⁠ךָ 1 May they bless your glorious name the Levites are speaking to Yahweh. “May the people of Judah bless your glorious name, Yahweh” NEH 9 6 k5l3 figs-metaphor שְׁמֵ֨י הַ⁠שָּׁמַ֜יִם וְ⁠כָל־צְבָאָ֗⁠ם הָ⁠אָ֜רֶץ וְ⁠כָל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָלֶ֨י⁠הָ֙ הַ⁠יַּמִּים֙ וְ⁠כָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּ⁠הֶ֔ם וְ⁠אַתָּ֖ה מְחַיֶּ֣ה אֶת־כֻּלָּ֑⁠ם וּ⁠צְבָ֥א הַ⁠שָּׁמַ֖יִם לְ⁠ךָ֥ מִשְׁתַּחֲוִֽים 1 the highest heavens, with all their host…the host of heaven worship you A host is an army. The “host of heaven” speaks in a metaphor of the many stars as if they were an army. The stars in turn are a metaphor for the many angels. The stars worshiping Yahweh is a metaphor for the angels worshiping Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 7 id6f 0 Connecting Statement: The Levites continue their prayer before all the people. NEH 9 7 us45 מֵ⁠א֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים 1 Ur of the Chaldees “Ur, where the Chaldean people group lived” NEH 9 8 ej7e figs-synecdoche וּ⁠מָצָ֣אתָ אֶת־לְבָב⁠וֹ֮ נֶאֱמָ֣ן לְ⁠פָנֶי⁠ךָ֒ 1 You found his heart was faithful before you The heart, the inner being of the person, represents the person. Alternate translation: “You saw that he was completely faithful to you” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 9 8 vbx8 translate-names הַ⁠כְּנַעֲנִ֨י הַ⁠חִתִּ֜י הָ⁠אֱמֹרִ֧י וְ⁠הַ⁠פְּרִזִּ֛י וְ⁠הַ⁠יְבוּסִ֥י וְ⁠הַ⁠גִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י 1 Canaanites…Hittites…Amorites…Perizzites…Jebusites…Girgashites people group names (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 9 p3f4 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 9 vp1y וַ⁠תֵּ֛רֶא 1 You saw Yahweh saw NEH 9 9 j256 figs-explicit וְ⁠אֶת־זַעֲקָתָ֥⁠ם שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ 1 you heard their cry The implied information is that God was moved to action because of the Israelites’ cries for help. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 10 ge61 figs-explicit וַ֠⁠תִּתֵּן אֹתֹ֨ת וּ⁠מֹֽפְתִ֜ים בְּ⁠פַרְעֹ֤ה 1 signs and wonders against Pharaoh The plagues tested Pharaoh’s heart, and they became a witness against his hardness of heart. Alternate translation: “signs and wonders that testified against Pharaoh” or “signs and wonders that condemned Pharaoh” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 10 i7c3 וּ⁠בְ⁠כָל־עַ֣ם אַרְצ֔⁠וֹ 1 all the people of his land “all the Egyptians” NEH 9 10 s54a הֵזִ֖ידוּ עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֑ם 1 acted with arrogance against them “were arrogant toward the Israelites” or “mistreated God’s chosen people” NEH 9 10 m6zr figs-metonymy וַ⁠תַּֽעַשׂ־לְ⁠ךָ֥ שֵׁ֖ם כְּ⁠הַ⁠יּ֥וֹם הַ⁠זֶּֽה 1 you made a name for yourself which stands to this day Here “name” represents a reputation. Alternate translation: “you made yourself famous and even now people still remember” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 11 n7jm 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 11 d1kp וְ⁠הַ⁠יָּם֙ בָּקַ֣עְתָּ 1 you divided the sea God divided NEH 9 11 l5ar figs-simile הִשְׁלַ֧כְתָּ בִ⁠מְצוֹלֹ֛ת כְּמוֹ־אֶ֖בֶן בְּ⁠מַ֥יִם עַזִּֽים 1 you…threw those who pursued them into the depths, as a stone into deep waters In this simile, the writer describes God throwing the Egyptians into the sea as easily as a person would throw a stone into water, and the stone would disappear under the water completely. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-simile]]) NEH 9 12 n4i2 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 12 m7vx הִנְחִיתָ֖⁠ם 1 You led them Yahweh led the Israelites. NEH 9 13 z2ds figs-idiom יָרַ֔דְתָּ 1 you came down When God talks with his people, he is often described as “coming down” or “coming down from heaven.” This is a descriptive way of saying that God appeared to that person. Alternate translation: “you appeared” or “you came down from heaven” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 13 zut5 figs-parallelism מִשְׁפָּטִ֤ים יְשָׁרִים֙ וְ⁠תוֹר֣וֹת אֱמֶ֔ת חֻקִּ֥ים וּ⁠מִצְוֺ֖ת טוֹבִֽים 1 righteous decrees and true laws, good statutes and commandments Both of these double phrases describe the same thing, the law of Moses. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]]) NEH 9 14 w3q6 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 14 h9f4 figs-doublet וּ⁠מִצְו֤וֹת וְ⁠חֻקִּים֙ וְ⁠תוֹרָ֔ה 1 commandments…statutes…law Each of these three words refers to the law of Moses. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]]) NEH 9 16 g6tt 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 16 m753 וְ⁠הֵ֥ם וַ⁠אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ 1 they and our ancestors the Israelites at the time of Moses and the people of Israel after the time of Moses NEH 9 16 t1he figs-idiom וַ⁠יַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔⁠ם 1 they were stiff-necked This is an idiom that means that they were stubborn. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 9 17 v9ib figs-idiom וַ⁠יַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔⁠ם 1 were stiff-necked This is an idiom that means that they were stubborn. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 9 17 f1m1 נִפְלְאֹתֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ עִמָּ⁠הֶ֔ם 1 the wonders that you had done among them “the miracles that you had done among them” NEH 9 17 gd2b figs-explicit וַ⁠יִּתְּנוּ־רֹ֛אשׁ לָ⁠שׁ֥וּב לְ⁠עַבְדֻתָ֖⁠ם 1 they appointed a leader to return to their slavery The Israelites would know that this referred to their ancestors wanting to return to Egypt. Alternate translation: “they appointed a leader to take them back to Egypt where they had been slaves” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 9 17 p6nm figs-metaphor וְ⁠אַתָּה֩ אֱל֨וֹהַּ סְלִיח֜וֹת 1 who is full of forgiveness The desire to forgive is spoken of as if it were a liquid that could fill a container. Alternate translation: “who is ready to forgive” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 17 c986 figs-metaphor וְ⁠רַב־חֶ֖סֶד 1 abounding in steadfast love Love is spoken of as if it were a food crop that Yahweh could share with people. Alternate translation: “loves his people very much” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 18 hw32 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 18 ind6 עָשׂ֤וּ לָ⁠הֶם֙ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֔ה 1 cast a calf out of molten metal melted metal and molded it in the shape of a calf NEH 9 19 eqh4 וְ⁠אַתָּה֙…הָֽ⁠רַבִּ֔ים לֹ֥א 1 you…did not abandon them Yahweh did not abandon the Israelites. NEH 9 19 x6bf אֶת־עַמּ֣וּד הֶ֠⁠עָנָן…וְ⁠אֶת־עַמּ֨וּד הָ⁠אֵ֤שׁ 1 The pillar of cloud…the pillar of fire See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 9:12](../09/12.md). NEH 9 20 buh1 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 20 e7m4 וְ⁠רוּחֲ⁠ךָ֨ הַ⁠טּוֹבָ֔ה…וּ⁠מַנְ⁠ךָ֙…וּ⁠מַ֛יִם 1 Your good Spirit…your manna…water The writer changes the usual word order to emphasize the good things Yahweh gave his people. Your language may have another way of emphasizing these items. NEH 9 20 ncd6 לְ⁠הַשְׂכִּילָ֑⁠ם 1 instruct teach NEH 9 20 gyd6 figs-litotes וּ⁠מַנְ⁠ךָ֙ לֹא־מָנַ֣עְתָּ מִ⁠פִּי⁠הֶ֔ם 1 your manna you did not withhold from their mouths This litotes can be expressed positively. Alternate translation: “you generously gave them manna” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-litotes]]) NEH 9 20 qka1 figs-synecdoche מִ⁠פִּי⁠הֶ֔ם 1 from their mouths The mouth is a synecdoche for the whole person. Alternate translation: “from them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 9 22 f462 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 22 xc6v וַ⁠תִּתֵּ֨ן לָ⁠הֶ֤ם מַמְלָכוֹת֙ 1 You gave them kingdoms Yahweh gave the Israelites kingdoms. NEH 9 22 kgg1 וַ⁠תִּתֵּ֨ן לָ⁠הֶ֤ם מַמְלָכוֹת֙ וַ⁠עֲמָמִ֔ים 1 gave them kingdoms and peoples “enabled them to conquer kingdoms and peoples” NEH 9 22 zt5p וַֽ⁠תַּחְלְקֵ֖⁠ם לְ⁠פֵאָ֑ה 1 assigning to them every corner of the land “enabling them to possess every part of the land” NEH 9 22 xf4v translate-names סִיח֗וֹן…ע֥וֹג 1 Sihon…Og These are the names of kings. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 22 bkk3 translate-names חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן…הַ⁠בָּשָֽׁן 1 Heshbon…Bashan These are names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 9 23 w96j 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 23 t5pb וּ⁠בְנֵי⁠הֶ֣ם הִרְבִּ֔יתָ 1 You made their children Yahweh made the descendants of the Israelites at the time of Moses NEH 9 24 vz5v figs-metaphor וַֽ⁠תִּתְּנֵ֖⁠ם בְּ⁠יָדָ֑⁠ם 1 gave them into their hands The Canaanites are spoken of as if they were small objects that a person could place in the hand of another person. To give something into a person’s hand is to give that person complete control over that thing. Alternate translation: “enabled the Israelites to have complete control over them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 25 v454 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 25 yzu6 וַֽ⁠יִּלְכְּד֞וּ 1 They captured The Israelites at the time of Moses captured NEH 9 25 gs7a וַ⁠אֲדָמָ֣ה שְׁמֵנָה֒ 1 a productive land “a fertile land” NEH 9 25 ke4u בֹּר֨וֹת 1 cisterns holes in the ground where people store water NEH 9 25 s544 figs-metaphor וַֽ⁠יִּשְׂבְּעוּ֙ 1 grew fat This might be a metaphor for “stopped thinking about Yahweh” or “became complacent.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 26 t19v 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 26 q9sz figs-metaphor וַ⁠יַּשְׁלִ֤כוּ אֶת־תּוֹרָֽתְ⁠ךָ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י גַוָּ֔⁠ם 1 They threw your law behind their backs The law is spoken of as if it were a worthless item that a person could throw away. Alternate translation: “They considered your law worthless and paid no attention to it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 26 vbj5 וַ⁠יַּשְׁלִ֤כוּ אֶת־תּוֹרָֽתְ⁠ךָ֙ 1 They threw your law The Israelites threw Yahweh’s law. NEH 9 27 v5lz figs-metonymy וַֽ⁠תִּתְּנֵ⁠ם֙ בְּ⁠יַ֣ד צָֽרֵי⁠הֶ֔ם וַ⁠יָּצֵ֖רוּ לָ⁠הֶ֑ם 1 you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer Here “hand” represents power or control. Alternate translation: “you allowed their enemies to defeat them and cause them to suffer” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 27 z213 figs-metonymy תִּתֵּ֤ן לָ⁠הֶם֙ מֽוֹשִׁיעִ֔ים וְ⁠יוֹשִׁיע֖וּ⁠ם מִ⁠יַּ֥ד צָרֵי⁠הֶֽם 1 you sent them rescuers who rescued them out of the hand of their enemies Here “hand” represents power or control. Alternate translation: “you sent people to stop their enemies from harming them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 28 u77m 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 28 ds4w וּ⁠כְ⁠נ֣וֹחַ לָ⁠הֶ֔ם יָשׁ֕וּבוּ לַ⁠עֲשׂ֥וֹת רַ֖ע לְ⁠פָנֶ֑י⁠ךָ 1 they had rest, they did evil again before you Here “they” refers to the Israelites and “you” to Yahweh. NEH 9 28 puz2 figs-metonymy וַ⁠תַּֽעַזְבֵ֞⁠ם בְּ⁠יַ֤ד אֹֽיְבֵי⁠הֶם֙ 1 you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies Here “hand” represents power or control. Alternate translation: “you abandoned them and allow their enemies to defeat them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 29 pm9h וְ⁠לֹא־שָׁמְע֤וּ לְ⁠מִצְוֺתֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙ 1 did not listen to your commands If your language has a word for “listen” that also means “obey,” use it here. NEH 9 29 una2 figs-metonymy וּ⁠בְ⁠מִשְׁפָּטֶ֣י⁠ךָ חָֽטְאוּ־בָ֔⁠ם אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֖ם וְ⁠חָיָ֣ה בָ⁠הֶ֑ם 1 your decrees which give life to anyone who obeys them Yahweh himself is spoken of as if he were the decrees themselves. Alternate translation: “you even though you give life to everyone who obeys your decrees” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 29 k1ew figs-metaphor וַ⁠יִּתְּנ֤וּ כָתֵף֙ סוֹרֶ֔רֶת וְ⁠עָרְפָּ֥⁠ם הִקְשׁ֖וּ וְ⁠לֹ֥א שָׁמֵֽעוּ 1 They gave the stubborn shoulder-blade and stiffened their neck These are images of an ox refusing to allow its owner to put a yoke on its shoulders. Here they are a metaphor that represents the people being stubborn. Alternate translation: “They became stubborn” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 9 30 sj6k 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 30 tqa5 figs-metonymy וַֽ⁠תִּתְּנֵ֔⁠ם בְּ⁠יַ֖ד עַמֵּ֥י הָ⁠אֲרָצֹֽת 1 you gave them into the hand of the neighboring peoples Here “hand” represents power or control. See how you translated these words in [Nehemiah 9:27](../09/27.md). Alternate translation: “you allowed the neighboring peoples to defeat them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 9 30 ym8i וַֽ⁠תִּתְּנֵ֔⁠ם 1 you gave Yahweh gave NEH 9 31 cl3n לֹֽא־עֲשִׂיתָ֥⁠ם כָּלָ֖ה 1 you did not make a complete end of them “you did not destroy them” NEH 9 32 j1rz 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 32 j5fk אַל־יִמְעַ֣ט לְ⁠פָנֶ֡י⁠ךָ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַ⁠תְּלָאָ֣ה אֲֽשֶׁר־מְ֠צָאַתְ⁠נוּ לִ⁠מְלָכֵ֨י⁠נוּ לְ⁠שָׂרֵ֧י⁠נוּ וּ⁠לְ⁠כֹהֲנֵ֛י⁠נוּ וְ⁠לִ⁠נְבִיאֵ֥⁠נוּ וְ⁠לַ⁠אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ וּ⁠לְ⁠כָל־עַמֶּ֑⁠ךָ מִ⁠ימֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י אַשּׁ֔וּר עַ֖ד הַ⁠יּ֥וֹם הַ⁠זֶּֽ 1 do not let all this hardship seem little to you that has come on us…until today It is possible to divide this into two sentences. “Do not let all this hardship seem little to you. The hardship has come upon us…until today” NEH 9 32 u6i9 figs-personification הַ⁠תְּלָאָ֣ה אֲֽשֶׁר־מְ֠צָאַתְ⁠נוּ 1 hardship…has come on us The phrase “come on us” speaks of bad things that happen as if they are people who cause harm. Alternate translation: “harm…we have suffered” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 9 33 pl1f figs-personification הַ⁠בָּ֣א עָלֵ֑י⁠נוּ 1 everything that has come on us The phrase “come on us” speaks of bad things that happen as if they are people who cause harm. Alternate translation: “everything we have suffered” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]]) NEH 9 35 af8m 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 35 nxv9 וּ⁠בְ⁠טוּבְ⁠ךָ֨ הָ⁠רָ֜ב אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֣תָּ לָ⁠הֶ֗ם 1 while they enjoyed your great goodness to them “while they enjoyed the good things you gave them” NEH 9 35 ibf9 לֹ֣א עֲבָד֑וּ⁠ךָ 1 they did not serve you “they were not obedient to your law or teaching” NEH 9 36 q7xj 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 36 qh7f וְ⁠אֶת־טוּבָ֔⁠הּ 1 its good gifts “all the good things in it” or “all the good things we can get from it” NEH 9 37 q3dz וּ⁠תְבוּאָתָ֣⁠הּ מַרְבָּ֗ה לַ⁠מְּלָכִ֛ים 1 The rich yield from our land goes to the kings “We pay tribute to kings for working our own land” NEH 9 37 x15l מֹשְׁלִ֤ים 1 They rule The kings rule. NEH 9 38 g7s3 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, the Levites continue to praise Yahweh in the presence of the people of Israel. NEH 9 38 t4ag וּ⁠בְ⁠כָל־זֹ֕את 1 Because of all this because the people had disobeyed and Yahweh had punished them NEH 9 38 xee9 וְ⁠עַל֙ הֶֽ⁠חָת֔וּם 1 On the sealed document are the names The reader should understand that the men wrote their names on the document before it was sealed. NEH 10 intro m17y 0 # Nehemiah 10 General Notes
## Structure and formatting

This chapter concludes the passage beginning in chapter 9.

## Special concepts in this chapter

### The vow

By signing this document, the people vowed or agreed to obey God, not to buy things on the Sabbath and to pay their temple tax. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/vow]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sabbath]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/temple]]) NEH 10 1 ijh7 0 Connecting Statement: Here begins a list of the people whose names were on the sealed document. NEH 10 1 jc8x figs-explicit וְ⁠עַ֖ל הַ⁠חֲתוּמִ֑ים נְחֶמְיָ֧ה הַ⁠תִּרְשָׁ֛תָא בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָ֖ה וְ⁠צִדְקִיָּֽה 1 On the sealed documents were Nehemiah…Zedekiah The names of these people were written on the documents. This can be stated clearly. Alternate translation: “On the sealed documents were the names of Nehemiah…Zedekiah” or “On the sealed documents were the names of the following people: Nehemiah…Zedekiah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 1 j4ny הַ⁠חֲתוּמִ֑ים 1 sealed documents The documents were sealed after the names had been signed on the documents. NEH 10 1 mu7u figs-pronouns נְחֶמְיָ֧ה 1 Nehemiah Some people believe that Nehemiah wrote this book and is speaking of himself as if he were someone else because this is an official list. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-pronouns]]) NEH 10 1 r4sg translate-names חֲכַלְיָ֖ה 1 Hakaliah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 1:1](../01/01.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 2 wj7b 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents (verse 1) continues. NEH 10 2 l6qa translate-names שְׂרָיָ֥ה…יִרְמְיָֽה 1 Seraiah…Jeremiah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 2 huw8 translate-names עֲזַרְיָ֖ה 1 Azariah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:23](../03/23.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 3 b2lc 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents (verse 1) continues. NEH 10 3 d5cr translate-names פַּשְׁח֥וּר אֲמַרְיָ֖ה 1 Pashhur, Amariah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 3 lw6u translate-names מַלְכִּיָּֽה 1 Malkijah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:11](../03/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 4 uqt4 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 4 g6hs translate-names חַטּ֥וּשׁ 1 Hattush See how you translated this man’s name in [Nehemiah 3:10](../03/10.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 4 bdr6 translate-names שְׁבַנְיָ֖ה 1 Shebaniah See how you translated this man’s name in [Nehemiah 9:4](../09/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 4 xzc8 translate-names מַלּֽוּ 1 Malluk This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 5 qbj9 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 5 qai2 translate-names חָרִ֥ם 1 Harim This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:11](../03/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 5 z9wl translate-names מְרֵמ֖וֹת 1 Meremoth This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:4](../03/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 5 gdm7 translate-names עֹֽבַדְיָֽה 1 Obadiah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 6 del4 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 6 z2vd translate-names דָּנִיֵּ֥אל גִּנְּת֖וֹן 1 Daniel, Ginnethon These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 6 h9n5 translate-names בָּרֽוּךְ 1 Baruch This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:20](../03/20.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 7 yd6r translate-names מְשֻׁלָּ֥ם 1 Meshullam This is a man’s name. See how you translated it in [Nehemiah 9:4](../09/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 7 x4lc translate-names אֲבִיָּ֖ה מִיָּמִֽן 1 Abijah, Mijamin These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 8 mt1s translate-names מַֽעַזְיָ֥ה בִלְגַּ֖י 1 Maaziah, Bilgai These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 8 iv3c translate-names שְׁמַֽעְיָ֑ה 1 Shemaiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:29](../03/29.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 8 ppp7 figs-explicit אֵ֖לֶּה הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִֽים 1 These were the priests This refers to the previous list of men who signed the document. Alternate translation: “These were the names of the priests who signed the document” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 9 b29e 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. Nehemiah begins here to list the names of the Levies who signed the sealed document. NEH 10 9 i6e3 figs-ellipsis וְֽ⁠הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֑ם 1 The Levites were This refers to those who put their names on the sealed documents. Alternate translation: “The Levites who put their names on the sealed documents were” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 10 9 si66 translate-names וְ⁠יֵשׁ֨וּעַ֙…חֵנָדָ֖ד 1 Jeshua…Henadad These are the names of men. See how you translated them in [Nehemiah 3:18-19](../03/18.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 9 pi28 translate-names אֲזַנְיָ֔ה 1 Azaniah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 9 j952 translate-names בִּנּ֕וּי 1 Binnui This is a man’s name. See how you translated it in [Nehemiah 3:24](../03/24.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 9 km8e translate-names קַדְמִיאֵֽל 1 Kadmiel This is a man’s name. See how you translated it in [Nehemiah 7:43](../07/43.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 10 yg6h translate-names שְׁבַנְיָ֧ה 1 Shebaniah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 9:4](../09/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 10 cfy7 translate-names הֽוֹדִיָּ֛ה קְלִיטָ֖א פְּלָאיָ֥ה 1 Hodiah…Kelita…Pelaiah These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 8:7](../08/07.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 10 z9gd translate-names חָנָֽן 1 Hanan This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:49](../07/49.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 11 x5wd 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 11 fh22 translate-names רְח֖וֹב 1 Rehob This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 11 w8h1 translate-names מִיכָ֥א 1 Mika This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 10:11](../10/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 11 z3i5 translate-names חֲשַׁבְיָֽה 1 Hashabiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:17](../03/17.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 12 vuf7 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 12 ac1s translate-names זַכּ֥וּר 1 Zaccur This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:2](../03/02.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 12 ctq5 translate-names שֵׁרֵֽבְיָ֖ה 1 Sherebiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 8:7](../08/07.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 12 r5ha translate-names שְׁבַנְיָֽה 1 Shebaniah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 13 t4nx 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 13 q7fm translate-names הוֹדִיָּ֥ה…בְּנִֽינוּ 1 Hodiah…Beninu These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 13 f7a5 translate-names בָנִ֖י 1 Bani This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:17](../03/17.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 14 uar6 figs-ellipsis רָאשֵׁ֖י הָ⁠עָ֑ם 1 The leaders of the people were This refers to those who put their names on the sealed documents. Alternate translation: “The leaders of the people who put their names on the sealed documents were” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 10 14 c75b translate-names פַּרְעֹשׁ֙ 1 Parosh This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:25](../03/25.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 14 d729 translate-names פַּחַ֣ת מוֹאָ֔ב 1 Pahath-Moab This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:11](../03/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 14 ta8y translate-names עֵילָ֥ם זַתּ֖וּא 1 Elam…Zattu These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:12](../07/12.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 15 nkt2 0 General Information: In these verses, Nehemiah continues to list the names of the people who signed the sealed document. NEH 10 15 r379 translate-names בֻּנִּ֥י 1 Bunni This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 9:4](../09/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 15 d4hq translate-names עַזְגָּ֖ד בֵּבָֽי 1 Azgad, Bebai These are the names of men. See how you translated them in [Nehemiah 7:16-17](../07/16.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 16 dda2 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 16 m4l9 translate-names אֲדֹנִיָּ֥ה…עָדִֽין 1 Adonijah…Adin These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 16 xk1s translate-names בִגְוַ֖י 1 Bigvai This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:7](../07/07.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 17 ybp4 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 17 neh8 translate-names עַזּֽוּר 1 Azzur These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 17 l7xw translate-names אָטֵ֥ר חִזְקִיָּ֖ה 1 Ater, Hezekiah These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:20](../07/20.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 18 ssa2 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 18 n169 translate-names הוֹדִיָּ֥ה 1 Hodiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 8:7](../08/07.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 18 k9y7 translate-names חָשֻׁ֖ם 1 Hashum These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:20](../07/20.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 18 f3le translate-names בֵּצָֽי 1 Bezai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 19 rbs7 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 19 qpd4 translate-names נֵיבָֽי 1 Nebai This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 19 it8a translate-names חָרִ֥יף 1 Hariph This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:23](../07/23.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 19 l77q translate-names עֲנָת֖וֹת 1 Anathoth This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:27](../07/27.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 20 xbs6 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 20 gf8r translate-names מַגְפִּיעָ֥שׁ…חֵזִֽיר 1 Magpiash…Hezir These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 20 hbe9 translate-names מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם 1 Meshullam These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:4](../03/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 21 bjm2 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 21 gh1m translate-names יַדּֽוּעַ 1 Jaddua This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 21 x7ep translate-names מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵ֥ל צָד֖וֹק 1 Meshezabel, Zadok These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:4](../03/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 22 rm3j 0 General Information: In these verses, Nehemiah continues to list the names of the people who signed the sealed document. NEH 10 22 n3zk translate-names פְּלַטְיָ֥ה 1 Pelatiah This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 22 e4dt translate-names חָנָ֖ן 1 Hanan This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:49](../07/49.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 22 un5i translate-names עֲנָיָֽה 1 Anaiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 8:4](../08/04.md) and [Nehemiah 3:8](../03/08.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 23 kcs6 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 23 ku2m translate-names הוֹשֵׁ֥עַ חֲנַנְיָ֖ה 1 Hoshea…Hananiah These are the name of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 23 rr76 translate-names חַשּֽׁוּב 1 Hasshub This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:11](../03/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 24 p99a 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 24 t9wx translate-names הַלּוֹחֵ֥שׁ 1 Hallohesh These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:11](../03/11.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 24 y9f7 translate-names פִּלְחָ֖א שׁוֹבֵֽק 1 Pilha…Shobek These are the name of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 25 t6u9 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 25 ml8w translate-names רְח֥וּם 1 Rehum This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:17](../03/17.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 25 s2tc translate-names חֲשַׁבְנָ֖ה 1 Hashabnah These are the name of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 25 tz5a translate-names מַעֲשֵׂיָֽה 1 Maaseiah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:23](../03/23.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 26 ab18 translate-names וַ⁠אֲחִיָּ֥ה…עָנָֽן 1 Ahiah…Anan These are the name of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 26 k998 translate-names חָנָ֖ן 1 Hanan This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 27 w9x4 0 Connecting Statement: The list of men whose names appear on the sealed documents [Nehemiah 10:1](../10/01.md) continues. NEH 10 27 ac3r translate-names מַלּ֥וּךְ חָרִ֖ם 1 Malluk, Harim These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 10:4](../10/04.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 27 y6gx translate-names בַּעֲנָֽה 1 Baanah This is a man’s name. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:6](../07/06.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 10 28 w2rt הַ⁠שּׁוֹעֲרִ֨ים 1 gatekeepers This refers to the people assigned to each gate, responsible to control access to the city or temple, as well as to open and close the gates at times and for reasons set by the administrator. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 10 28 f1n8 figs-explicit הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֜ים 1 singers You may need to make explicit that these are those who sang in the temple. Alternate translation: “temple singers” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 28 qej9 figs-explicit כֹּ֖ל יוֹדֵ֥עַ מֵבִֽין 1 all who have knowledge and understanding This phrase can be made explicit. Alternate translation: “all who were old enough to understand what promising to obey God meant” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 29 l6ns אֲחֵי⁠הֶם֮ אַדִּירֵי⁠הֶם֒ 1 their brothers, their nobles “their fellow brothers the nobles” or “their brothers the leaders.” These phrases refer to the same people. NEH 10 29 x6i9 figs-metaphor וּ⁠בָאִ֞ים בְּ⁠אָלָ֣ה וּ⁠בִ⁠שְׁבוּעָ֗ה 1 bound themselves with both a curse and an oath This speaks of the people taking an oath and a curse as if the oath and the curse were a rope that physically bound them. Alternate translation: “swore themselves to an oath and a curse” or “they took an oath and called for a curse to come on themselves if they failed to keep it” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 10 29 k971 figs-idiom לָ⁠לֶ֨כֶת֙ בְּ⁠תוֹרַ֣ת הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֔ים 1 to walk in God’s law This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “to live by God’s law” or “to obey God’s law” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 10 29 p6ry figs-activepassive אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִתְּנָ֔ה בְּ⁠יַ֖ד מֹשֶׁ֣ה עֶֽבֶד־הָֽ⁠אֱלֹהִ֑ים 1 which was given by Moses the servant of God This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “which Moses the servant of God had given to Israel” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 10 29 ny6b וְ⁠לִ⁠שְׁמ֣וֹר 1 to observe “to follow” NEH 10 30 t8sp 0 General Information: In these verses, the people describe the content of the oath they were making in [Nehemiah 10:29](../10/29.md). NEH 10 30 s4sx figs-explicit לֹא־נִתֵּ֥ן בְּנֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ לְ⁠עַמֵּ֣י הָ⁠אָ֑רֶץ וְ⁠אֶת־בְּנֹ֣תֵי⁠הֶ֔ם לֹ֥א נִקַּ֖ח לְ⁠בָנֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 would not give our daughters to the people of the land or take their daughters for our sons This means that they would not allow their sons and daughters to marry them. Alternate translation: “would not give our daughters to marry the people of the land, and we would not take their daughters to marry our sons” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 30 iqq1 figs-explicit לְ⁠עַמֵּ֣י הָ⁠אָ֑רֶץ 1 the people of the land This refers to the people who live in their land who do not worship Yahweh. Alternate translation: “the people of this land who do not worship Yahweh” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 10 30 lx8c figs-exclusive לֹא־נִתֵּ֥ן…לֹ֥א נִקַּ֖ח 1 We promised…we would not give… or take The pronoun “we” here includes Nehemiah and the Jewish people, but not the reader of this book. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]]) NEH 10 31 m39f figs-exclusive לֹא־נִקַּ֥ח…וְ⁠נִטֹּ֛שׁ 1 We also promised…we would not buy…we will let…we will cancel The pronoun “we” here includes Nehemiah and the Jewish people, but not the reader of this book. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]]) NEH 10 31 ek18 translate-ordinal אֶת־הַ⁠שָּׁנָ֥ה הַ⁠שְּׁבִיעִ֖ית 1 seventh year “year 7” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-ordinal]]) NEH 10 31 hf7z figs-idiom וְ⁠נִטֹּ֛שׁ 1 we will let our fields rest This is an idiom. Alternate translation: “we will not plow our fields” or “we will not grow anything in our fields” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]]) NEH 10 31 ur3t וּ⁠מַשָּׁ֥א כָל־יָֽד 1 we will cancel all debts This means that they will not require that people pay them what they owe. Alternate translation: “we will cancel all debts that people owe us” or “we will tell people that they no longer have to pay us back” NEH 10 32 bh3h 0 General Information: In these verses, the people continue describing the content of the oath they were making in [Nehemiah 10:29](../10/29.md). NEH 10 32 h9gt וְ⁠הֶעֱמַ֤דְנוּ עָלֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ מִצְוֺ֔ת 1 We accepted the commands “We promised to obey the command” NEH 10 32 ljm2 figs-exclusive וְ⁠הֶעֱמַ֤דְנוּ עָלֵ֨י⁠נוּ֙ 1 We accepted The pronoun “we” here includes all the Israelites including Nehemiah except for the priest and Levites, and does not include the reader of this book (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]]) NEH 10 32 ad47 translate-bmoney שְׁלִשִׁ֥ית הַ⁠שֶּׁ֖קֶל 1 a third of a shekel “1/3 of a shekel.” “A third” means one part out of three equal parts. This can be written in modern measurements. Alternate translation: “5 grams of sliver” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-bmoney]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 10 32 pw6w לַ⁠עֲבֹדַ֖ת 1 for the service of “to pay for the care of” NEH 10 33 ehf4 לְ⁠לֶ֣חֶם הַֽ⁠מַּעֲרֶ֡כֶת 1 the bread of the presence This refers to the 12 loaves of bread baked without yeast kept in the temple and used to symbolize God’s presence with His people. NEH 10 33 xu3y הֶ⁠חֳדָשִׁ֜ים 1 the new moon festivals These were celebrations held when the moon was just a small crescent in the sky. NEH 10 34 s6yz 0 General Information: In these verses, the people continue describing the content of the oath they were making in [Nehemiah 10:29](../10/29.md). NEH 10 34 l42k figs-activepassive לְ⁠בַעֵ֗ר 1 to be burned This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “for the Levites to burn” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 10 34 ph9q figs-activepassive כַּ⁠כָּת֖וּב 1 as it is written This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “as it states” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 10 35 vp1p אַדְמָתֵ֗⁠נוּ 1 from our soil “in our soil” or “on our land” NEH 10 37 j9sj 0 General Information: In these verses, the people continue describing the content of the oath they were making in [Nehemiah verse 29](./28.md). NEH 10 37 s7s2 figs-exclusive נָבִ֤יא 1 We will bring…We will bring The pronoun “we” here includes Nehemiah and the Israelites except for the priests and the Levites, and also does not include the reader of this book (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]]) NEH 10 37 rk7x עֲרִיסֹתֵ֣י⁠נוּ 1 our dough Possible meanings are that this refers to (1) dough made from coarse flour, (2) coarse flour, or (3) ground grain. NEH 10 37 uc2w figs-ellipsis תִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְ⁠יִצְהָ֗ר 1 the new wine and the oil The words “first of” are understood from the begininng of the sentnces. They can be repeated. Alternate translation: “the first of the new wine and of the oil” or “the best of the new wine and of the oil” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 10 37 e92l לִשְׁכ֣וֹת בֵּית־אֱלֹהֵ֔י⁠נוּ 1 the storerooms of the house of our God “the places where things are stored in the temple” NEH 10 37 r776 figs-synecdoche וּ⁠מַעְשַׂ֥ר אַדְמָתֵ֖⁠נוּ 1 the tithes from our soil Here “our soil” refers to everything that is grown in the ground. Alternate translation: “the tithes of what we grow in the ground” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]]) NEH 10 38 by9z figs-activepassive בַּ⁠עְשֵׂ֣ר 1 they receive the tithes This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “the people give them the tithes” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 10 38 eb51 translate-fraction אֶת־מַעֲשַׂ֤ר 1 a tenth This means one part out of ten equal parts. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-fraction]]) NEH 10 38 zl4a הַ⁠לְּשָׁכ֖וֹת לְ⁠בֵ֥ית הָ⁠אוֹצָֽר 1 the storerooms of the treasury “the storerooms in the temple” NEH 10 39 qzf8 0 General Information: In these verses, the people finish describing the content of the oath they were making in [Nehemiah 10:29](../10/29.md). NEH 10 39 ss5h figs-activepassive אֶל־הַ֠⁠לְּשָׁכוֹת 1 the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: “the rooms where the priests keep the things that are used in the temple” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 10 39 u1sq וְ⁠לֹ֥א נַעֲזֹ֖ב אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אֱלֹהֵֽי⁠נוּ 1 We will not neglect the house of our God This can be stated in positive form. Alternate translation: “We will care for the temple” NEH 10 39 b23h figs-exclusive נַעֲזֹ֖ב 1 We will The pronoun “we” here includes Nehemiah and all the people of Israel but does not include the reader of this book. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-exclusive]]) NEH 11 intro xja1 0 # Nehemiah 11 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### The places where the Jews lived

Some people lived in Jerusalem, but most people lived in villages and towns away from Jerusalem. They lived there in order to farm the land raise their animals. The city with its walls was there to provide all of the people with protection if enemies attacked them. NEH 11 1 e2yg הָ֠⁠עָם הִפִּ֨ילוּ גוֹרָל֜וֹת 1 the people cast lots “the people threw marked stones” NEH 11 1 beq5 לְ⁠הָבִ֣יא׀ אֶחָ֣ד מִן־הָ⁠עֲשָׂרָ֗ה 1 to bring one of ten “to bring one family out of every ten families” NEH 11 3 l7mb בַּ⁠אֲחֻזָּת⁠וֹ֙ בְּ⁠עָ֣רֵי⁠הֶ֔ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל 1 on his own land, including some Israelites “on his own land: Israelites” NEH 11 4 n2a7 מִ⁠בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּ⁠מִ⁠בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן 1 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin “some of the people of Judah and some of the people of Benjamin” NEH 11 4 nm8y מִ⁠בְּנֵ֣י יְ֠הוּדָה 1 The people from Judah included: “From the descendants of Judah:” NEH 11 4 wl7r translate-names יְהוּדָ֖ה…בִנְיָמִ֑ן…עֲתָיָ֨ה…עֻזִּיָּ֜ה…זְכַרְיָ֧ה…אֲמַרְיָ֛ה…שְׁפַטְיָ֥ה…מַהֲלַלְאֵ֖ל…פָֽרֶץ 1 Judah…Benjamin…Athaiah…Uzziah…Zechariah…Amariah…Shephatiah…Mahalalel…Perez These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 4 vx6k מִ⁠בְּנֵי־פָֽרֶץ 1 a descendant of Perez “from the descendants of Perez” NEH 11 5 l727 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, Nehemiah continues to list the provincial officers who lived in Jerusalem. NEH 11 5 ml8b translate-names וּ⁠מַעֲשֵׂיָ֣ה…בָּר֣וּךְ…כָּל־חֹ֠זֶה…חֲזָיָ֨ה…עֲדָיָ֧ה…יוֹיָרִ֛יב…זְכַרְיָ֖ה 1 Maaseiah…Baruch…Kol-Hozeh…Hazaiah…Adaiah…Joiarib…Zechariah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 5 dxb8 הַ⁠שִּׁלֹנִֽי 1 Shilonite This refers to a person who comes from the town of Shiloh. NEH 11 6 y8t2 translate-names פֶ֕רֶץ 1 Perez This is a man’s name. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 6 hcr6 translate-numbers כָּל־…בִּ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֛וֹת שִׁשִּׁ֥ים וּ⁠שְׁמֹנָ֖ה 1 All…were 468 “All…were four hundred and sixty-eight.” Perez had 468 descendants who lived in Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 6 ej3g אַנְשֵׁי־חָֽיִל 1 They were outstanding men “They were courageous men” or “They were valiant men” NEH 11 7 m8mp 0 Connecting Statement: In these verses, Nehemiah continues to list the provincial officers who lived in Jerusalem. NEH 11 7 md67 וְ⁠אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֣י 1 These are the descendants “These are some of the descendants.” Your language may need to specify that this is not a list of every descendant. NEH 11 7 w8c5 translate-names בִנְיָמִ֑ן סַלֻּ֡א…מְשֻׁלָּ֡ם…יוֹעֵ֡ד…פְּדָיָה֩…ק֨וֹלָיָ֧ה…מַעֲשֵׂיָ֛ה…אִֽיתִיאֵ֖ל…יְשַֽׁעְיָֽה 1 Benjamin…Sallu…Meshullam…Joed…Pedaiah…Kolaiah…Maaseiah…Ithiel…Jeshaiah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 8 bzh9 translate-names גַּבַּ֣י סַלָּ֑י 1 Gabbai…Sallai These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 8 z37g translate-numbers תְּשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּ⁠שְׁמֹנָֽה 1 928 men “nine hundred and twenty-eight men.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 9 z3xl translate-names וְ⁠יוֹאֵ֥ל…זִכְרִ֖י…⁠יהוּדָ֧ה…הַ⁠סְּנוּאָ֛ה 1 Joel…Zichri…Judah…Hassenuah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 10 ft7m translate-names יְדַֽעְיָ֥ה…יוֹיָרִ֖יב יָכִֽין 1 Jedaiah…Joiarib…Jakin These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 11 d8ph translate-names שְׂרָיָ֨ה…חִלְקִיָּ֜ה…מְשֻׁלָּ֣ם…צָד֗וֹק 1 Seraiah…Hilkiah…Meshullam…Zadok These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 12 j7vp translate-names וַ֠⁠עֲדָיָה…יְרֹחָ֤ם…פְּלַלְיָה֙…אַמְצִ֣י…זְכַרְיָ֔ה…פַּשְׁח֖וּר…מַלְכִּיָּֽה 1 Adaiah…Jeroham…Pelaliah…Amzi…Zechariah…Pashhur…Malkijah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 12 nl7h וַ⁠אֲחֵי⁠הֶ֗ם 1 their associates “their brothers” or “their kinsmen” NEH 11 12 z6pc עֹשֵׂ֤י הַ⁠מְּלָאכָה֙ לַ⁠בַּ֔יִת 1 who did the work for the house “who worked in the temple.” The “house” referred to here is the “house of God” mentioned in the previous verse. NEH 11 12 kq8y translate-numbers שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וּ⁠שְׁנָ֑יִם 1 822 men “eight hundred and twenty-two men” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 13 wd9q וְ⁠אֶחָי⁠ו֙ 1 His brothers the brothers of Adaiah, the son of Jeroham ([Nehemiah 11:12](../11/12.md)). NEH 11 13 u4gn figs-metaphor וְ⁠אֶחָי⁠ו֙ 1 brothers This word is a metaphor for (1) fellow Israelites or (2) people who did the same work. Alternate translation: “associates” or “fellow workers” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 11 13 gd6g translate-numbers מָאתַ֖יִם אַרְבָּעִ֣ים וּ⁠שְׁנָ֑יִם 1 242 men “two hundred and forty-two men” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 13 l51b translate-names וַ⁠עֲמַשְׁסַ֧י…עֲזַרְאֵ֛ל…אַחְזַ֥י…מְשִׁלֵּמ֖וֹת…אִמֵּֽר 1 Amashsai…Azarel…Ahzai…Meshillemoth…Immer These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 14 jrq7 translate-names זַבְדִּיאֵ֖ל…הַ⁠גְּדוֹלִֽים 1 Zabdiel…Haggedolim These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 14 p9qw translate-numbers גִּבּ֣וֹרֵי חַ֔יִל מֵאָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִ֣ים וּ⁠שְׁמֹנָ֑ה 1 128 courageous fighting men “one hundred and twenty-eight courageous fighting men.” These were “valiant warriors” or “courageous warriors.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 15 f71n translate-names שְׁמַעְיָ֧ה…חַשּׁ֛וּב…עַזְרִיקָ֥ם…חֲשַׁבְיָ֖ה…בּוּנִּֽי 1 Shemaiah…Hasshub…Azrikam…Hashabiah…Bunni These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 16 q6zj translate-names וְ⁠שַׁבְּתַ֨י וְ⁠יוֹזָבָ֜ד 1 Shabbethai…Jozabad These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 16 if3q עַל־…מֵ⁠רָאשֵׁ֖י הַ⁠לְוִיִּֽם 1 who were from the leaders of the Levites and were in charge “from the leaders of the Levites, were in charge” NEH 11 17 ix77 translate-names וּ⁠מַתַּנְיָ֣ה…מִ֠יכָה…זַבְדִּ֨י…אָסָ֜ף…וּ⁠בַקְבֻּקְיָ֖ה…וְ⁠עַבְדָּא֙…שַׁמּ֔וּ…גָּלָ֖ל…יְדוּתֽוּן 1 Mattaniah…Mika…Zabdi…Asaph…Bakbukiah…Abda…Shammua…Galal…Jeduthun These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 17 sm9t רֹ֗אשׁ הַ⁠תְּחִלָּה֙ יְהוֹדֶ֣ה לַ⁠תְּפִלָּ֔ה 1 who began the thanksgiving in prayer That is, who directed the singers. NEH 11 17 djg7 וּ⁠בַקְבֻּקְיָ֖ה מִשְׁנֶ֣ה מֵ⁠אֶחָ֑י⁠ו 1 Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers Possible meanings are (1) Bakbukiah was Mattaniah’s kinsman and second in authority to Mattaniah or (2) “Bakbukiah, who led a second group of singers.” NEH 11 17 dy1v מֵ⁠אֶחָ֑י⁠ו 1 brothers Another possible meaning is “associates” or “fellow workers.” NEH 11 18 di19 בְּ⁠עִ֣יר הַ⁠קֹּ֔דֶשׁ 1 the holy city This expression refers to the city of Jerusalem. NEH 11 18 hk8i translate-numbers מָאתַ֖יִם שְׁמֹנִ֥ים וְ⁠אַרְבָּעָֽה 1 numbered 284 “numbered two hundred and eighty-four.” There were 284 Levites in Jerusalem. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 19 i92r וְ⁠הַ⁠שּֽׁוֹעֲרִים֙ 1 gatekeepers people assigned to each gate, responsible to control access to the city or temple, as well as to open and close the gates at times and for reasons set by the administrator. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 11 19 j7b3 translate-names עַקּ֣וּב טַלְמ֔וֹן 1 Akkub…Talmon These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 19 kaz4 translate-numbers מֵאָ֖ה שִׁבְעִ֥ים וּ⁠שְׁנָֽיִם 1 172 men “one hundred and seventy-two men” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]]) NEH 11 21 eu4g translate-names וְ⁠צִיחָ֥א וְ⁠גִשְׁפָּ֖א 1 Ziha…Gishpa These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 21 vct4 translate-names בָּ⁠עֹ֑פֶל 1 Ophel This is the name of a place. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 22 l3ba וּ⁠פְקִ֤יד 1 The chief officer over “The overseer of” NEH 11 22 rr5e translate-names עֻזִּ֤י…בָּנִי֙…חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה…מַתַּנְיָ֖ה…מִיכָ֑א…אָסָף֙ 1 Uzzi…Bani…Hashabiah…Mattaniah…Mika…Asaph These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 23 km8l כִּֽי־מִצְוַ֥ת הַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ עֲלֵי⁠הֶ֑ם 1 They were under orders from the king “The king had told them what to do” NEH 11 23 a9fz figs-activepassive וַ⁠אֲמָנָ֥ה עַל־הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים 1 firm orders were given for the singers This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “the king had told them specifically what to do about the singers” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 11 24 aee9 translate-names וּ⁠פְתַֽחְיָ֨ה…מְשֵֽׁיזַבְאֵ֜ל…זֶ֤רַח…יְהוּדָה֙ 1 Pethahiah…Meshezabel…Zerah…Judah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 24 dqa4 לְ⁠יַ֣ד הַ⁠מֶּ֔לֶךְ לְ⁠כָל־דָּבָ֖ר לָ⁠עָֽם 1 at the king’s side in all matters concerning the people “at the Persian king’s side as an adviser in all matters concerning the Jewish people” NEH 11 25 rg1f translate-names בְּ⁠קִרְיַ֤ת הָֽאַרְבַּע֙…וּ⁠בְ⁠דִיבֹן֙…וּ⁠בִֽ⁠יקַּבְצְאֵ֖ל 1 Kiriath Arba…Dibon…Jekabzeel These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 26 d9f4 translate-names וּ⁠בְ⁠יֵשׁ֥וּעַ וּ⁠בְ⁠מוֹלָדָ֖ה וּ⁠בְ⁠בֵ֥ית פָּֽלֶט 1 Jeshua…Moladah…Beth Pelet These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 27 nu5z translate-names וּ⁠בַ⁠חֲצַ֥ר שׁוּעָ֛ל וּ⁠בִ⁠בְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע 1 Hazar Shual…Beersheba These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 28 dl5v translate-names וּ⁠בְ⁠צִֽקְלַ֥ג וּ⁠בִ⁠מְכֹנָ֖ה 1 Ziklag…Mekonah These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 29 t41a translate-names וּ⁠בְ⁠עֵ֥ין רִמּ֛וֹן וּ⁠בְ⁠צָרְעָ֖ה וּ⁠בְ⁠יַרְמֽוּ 1 Enrimmon…Zorah…Jarmuth These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 30 vn2z translate-names זָנֹ֤חַ עֲדֻלָּם֙…לָכִישׁ֙…עֲזֵקָ֖ה…מִ⁠בְּאֵֽר־שֶׁ֖בַע…גֵּֽיא־הִנֹּֽם 1 Zanoah…Adullam…Lachish…Azekah…Beersheba…Valley of Hinnom These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 30 mzq1 וַ⁠יַּחֲנ֥וּ 1 they lived Here “they” refers to the people of Judah. NEH 11 31 n61t וּ⁠בְנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִ֖ן מִ⁠גָּ֑בַע מִכְמָ֣שׂ וְ⁠עַיָּ֔ה 1 The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onward, at Mikmash and Aija “The people of Benjamin lived in Geba, Mikmash and Aija” NEH 11 31 uha3 translate-names מִ⁠גָּ֑בַע מִכְמָ֣שׂ וְ⁠עַיָּ֔ה וּ⁠בֵֽית 1 Geba…Mikmash…Aija…Bethel These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 31 lm1q וְ⁠עַיָּ֔ה 1 Aija This is possibly another name for the town of Ai. NEH 11 32 ucv8 translate-names עֲנָת֥וֹת נֹ֖ב עֲנָֽנְיָֽה 1 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 33 jwf7 translate-names חָצ֥וֹר׀ רָמָ֖ה גִּתָּֽיִם 1 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 34 e1ls translate-names חָדִ֥יד צְבֹעִ֖ים נְבַלָּֽט 1 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 35 qu5n translate-names גֵּ֥י הַחֲרָשִֽׁים 1 the valley of craftsmen Possible meanings are (1) this is a description of Ono or (2) it is “Craftsmen’s Valley” or “the Valley of Craftsmen,” another name for Ono, or (3) it is a different place from Ono, “and the Valley of Craftsmen.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 11 36 y212 figs-activepassive וּ⁠מִן־הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֔ם מַחְלְק֥וֹת יְהוּדָ֖ה לְ⁠בִנְיָמִֽין 1 Some of the Levites who lived in Judah were assigned to the people of Benjamin It is not clear who assigned these Levites to live with the people of Benjamin. Alternate translation: “They assigned some of the Levites who lived in Judah to serve the people of Benjamin” or “The officials assigned some of the Levites who lived in Judah to serve the people of Benjamin” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis]]) NEH 12 intro xmt3 0 # Nehemiah 12 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Dedication of the wall

In the ancient Near East, it was common to dedicate an important structure to a god. When it was completed, the wall was dedicated to Yahweh. Long lists of people are present, indicating that “everyone” was present for this and praised Yahweh. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/falsegod]]) NEH 12 1 ixs5 אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָל֛וּ 1 who came up “who arrived from Babylonia” NEH 12 1 b4x7 עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל 1 with Zerubbabel “under the leadership of Zerubbabel” NEH 12 1 b8ry translate-names זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל…שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֖ל וְ⁠יֵשׁ֑וּעַ שְׂרָיָ֥ה יִרְמְיָ֖ה עֶזְרָֽא 1 Zerubbabel…Shealtiel…Jeshua…Seraiah…Jeremiah…Ezra These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 1 myj6 figs-explicit וְ⁠יֵשׁ֑וּעַ 1 Jeshua The original readers would have understood that Jeshua was the high priest. Alternate translation: “Jeshua the high priest” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 12 2 p4ml translate-names אֲמַרְיָ֥ה מַלּ֖וּךְ חַטּֽוּשׁ 1 Amariah…Malluk…Hattush These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 3 gwk1 translate-names שְׁכַנְיָ֥ה רְחֻ֖ם מְרֵמֹֽת 1 Shecaniah…Rehum…Meremoth These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 4 cd2t 0 Connecting Statement: The list that began in [Nehemiah 12:1](../12/01.md) continues. NEH 12 4 qt5n translate-names עִדּ֥וֹא גִנְּת֖וֹי אֲבִיָּֽה 1 Iddo…Ginnethon…Abijah These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 5 x3ri translate-names מִיָּמִ֥ין מַֽעַדְיָ֖ה בִּלְגָּֽה 1 Mijamin…Moadiah…Bilgah These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 6 udm2 translate-names שְׁמַֽעְיָ֥ה וְ⁠יוֹיָרִ֖יב יְדַֽעְיָֽה 1 Shemaiah…Joiarib…Jedaiah These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 7 g43p translate-names סַלּ֣וּ עָמ֔וֹק חִלְקִיָּ֖ה יְדַֽעְיָ֑ה…יֵשֽׁוּעַ 1 Sallu…Amok…Hilkiah…Jedaiah…Jeshua These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 8 xy1h translate-names יֵשׁ֧וּעַ בִּנּ֛וּי קַדְמִיאֵ֥ל שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה יְהוּדָ֣ה מַתַּנְיָ֑ה 1 Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah,…Mattaniah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 9 nnn1 translate-names וּ⁠בַקְבֻּֽקְיָ֨ה וְעֻנִּ֧י 1 Bakbukiah…Unni These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 9 nhn4 לְ⁠נֶגְדָּ֖⁠ם לְ⁠מִשְׁמָרֽוֹת 1 stood opposite them during the service Possible meanings are (1) this was during a worship service and these were two groups of singers or other worshipers, or (2) these groups guarded the temple at different times, or “took turns guarding the temple.” NEH 12 10 ri33 translate-names וְ⁠יֵשׁ֖וּעַ…יֽוֹיָקִ֑ים…אֶלְיָשִׁ֔יב…יוֹיָדָֽע 1 Jeshua…Joiakim…Eliashib…Joiada These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 10 xd69 figs-explicit וְ⁠יֵשׁ֖וּעַ הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־יֽוֹיָקִ֑ים 1 Jeshua was the father of Joiakim This is the same Jeshua named in [Nehemiah 12:1](../12/01.md). The original readers would have understood that Jeshua was the high priest. Alternate translation: “Jeshua the high priest was the father of Joiakim” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 12 11 a7yv translate-names וְ⁠יוֹיָדָע֙…יוֹנָתָ֔ן…יַדּֽוּעַ 1 Joiada…Jonathan…Jaddua These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 12 j9qv translate-names יֽוֹיָקִ֔ים…מְרָיָ֔ה…חֲנַנְיָֽה 1 Joiakim…Meraiah…Hananiah These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 12 vv32 translate-names לִ⁠שְׂרָיָ֣ה…לְ⁠יִרְמְיָ֖ה 1 Seraiah…Jeremiah These are names of families named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 13 uwn8 translate-names מְשֻׁלָּ֔ם…יְהוֹחָנָֽן 1 Meshullam…Jehohanan These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 13 hm77 translate-names לְ⁠עֶזְרָ֣א…לַ⁠אֲמַרְיָ֖ה 1 Ezra…Amariah These are names of families named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 14 vig4 translate-names יֽוֹנָתָ֔ן…יוֹסֵֽף 1 Jonathan…Joseph These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 14 tum7 translate-names ל⁠מלוכי…לִ⁠שְׁבַנְיָ֖ה 1 Malluk…Shebaniah These are names of families named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 15 l4u9 0 Connecting Statement: The list that began in [Nehemiah 12:12](../12/12.md) continues. NEH 12 15 z68b translate-names עַדְנָ֔א…חֶלְקָֽי 1 Adna…Helkai These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 15 a64p translate-names לְ⁠חָרִ֣ם…לִ⁠מְרָי֖וֹת 1 Harim…Meremoth These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 16 hb4y translate-names זְכַרְיָ֖ה…מְשֻׁלָּֽם 1 Zechariah…Meshullam These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 16 u64u translate-names ל⁠עדיא…לְ⁠גִנְּת֥וֹן 1 Iddo…Ginnethon These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 16 uae6 לְ⁠גִנְּת֥וֹן מְשֻׁלָּֽם 1 Meshullam was the leader of Ginnethon Ginnethon may be another form of the name Ginnethoi. NEH 12 17 pa3k translate-names זִכְרִ֑י…פִּלְטָֽי 1 Zichri…Piltai These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 17 em6c translate-names לַ⁠אֲבִיָּ֖ה…לְ⁠מִ֨נְיָמִ֔ין לְ⁠מוֹעַדְיָ֖ה 1 Abijah…Miniamin…Moadiah These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 17 e7rx לְ⁠מִ֨נְיָמִ֔ין 1 …of Miniamin The people who made the copies of Hebrew text mistakenly left out the name of the leader of the family of Miniamin. Translators may supply a footnote explaining this. The ULT uses “…” to show that the name of the leader is missing. Alternate translation: “Someone was the leader of Miniamin” NEH 12 17 h3jl לְ⁠מוֹעַדְיָ֖ה 1 Moadiah Maadiah may be another form of the name Moadiah. NEH 12 18 zd3p translate-names שַׁמּ֔וּעַ…יְהוֹנָתָֽן 1 Shammua…Jehonathan These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 18 t8yy translate-names לְ⁠בִלְגָּ֣ה…לִֽ⁠שְׁמַעְיָ֖ה 1 Bilgah…Shemaiah These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 19 u373 translate-names מַתְּנַ֔י…עֻזִּֽי 1 Mattenai…Uzzi These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 19 s8n3 translate-names וּ⁠לְ⁠יוֹיָרִ֣יב…לִֽ⁠ידַֽעְיָ֖ה 1 Joiarib…Jedaiah These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 20 y23c translate-names קַלָּ֖י…עֵֽבֶר 1 Kallai…Eber These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 20 p8dg translate-names לְ⁠סַלַּ֥י…לְ⁠עָמ֥וֹק 1 Sallu…Amok These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 21 v16d translate-names חֲשַׁבְיָ֔ה…נְתַנְאֵֽל 1 Hashabiah…Nethanel These are all names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 21 vwp6 translate-names לְ⁠חִלְקִיָּ֣ה…לִֽ⁠ידַֽעְיָ֖ה 1 Hilkiah…Jedaiah These are all names of families that are named after men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 22 snj3 translate-names אֶלְיָשִׁ֜יב יוֹיָדָ֤ע וְ⁠יוֹחָנָן֙ וְ⁠יַדּ֔וּעַ 1 Eliashib…Joiada, Johanan…Jaddua names of men (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 22 cr6d עַל־מַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ 1 during the reign of Darius Another possible meaning is “until the reign of Darius” NEH 12 23 q9hz כְּתוּבִ֕ים עַל־סֵ֖פֶר דִּבְרֵ֣י 1 recorded in the book of the annals This may refer to the Book of Chronicles. The scribes wrote the words in the verses above in a book that recorded the events of each day. NEH 12 23 d2rp וְ⁠עַד־יְמֵ֖י יֽוֹחָנָ֥ן בֶּן־אֶלְיָשִֽׁיב 1 up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib The records in the temple recorded only up until Johanan. NEH 12 24 kx4z translate-names חֲשַׁבְיָ֨ה שֵֽׁרֵבְיָ֜ה וְ⁠יֵשׁ֤וּעַ…קַדְמִיאֵל֙ 1 Hashabiah, Sherebiah…Jeshua…Kadmiel These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 24 d373 לְ⁠נֶגְדָּ֔⁠ם לְ⁠הַלֵּ֣ל לְ⁠הוֹד֔וֹת בְּ⁠מִצְוַ֖ת דָּוִ֣יד אִישׁ־הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֑ים מִשְׁמָ֖ר לְ⁠עֻמַּ֥ת מִשְׁמָֽר 1 who stood opposite them to give praise and to give thanks, responding section by section This refers to how they sang some of their songs in worship. A leader or one group would sing a phrase, then one or two groups that “stood opposite them” would sing a phrase in response. NEH 12 24 dl8r בְּ⁠מִצְוַ֖ת דָּוִ֣יד 1 obedience to the command of David King David had commanded the Levites how they were to organize and lead worship. NEH 12 25 p55l translate-names מַתַּנְיָ֧ה וּ⁠בַקְבֻּֽקְיָ֛ה עֹבַדְיָ֥ה מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם טַלְמ֣וֹן עַקּ֑וּב 1 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 26 wk2z translate-names יוֹיָקִ֥ים…יֵשׁ֖וּעַ…יוֹצָדָ֑ק…נְחֶמְיָ֣ה…וְ⁠עֶזְרָ֥א 1 Joiakim…Jeshua…Jozadak…Nehemiah…Ezra These are names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 26 k9bk בִּ⁠ימֵ֛י יוֹיָקִ֥ים…יוֹצָדָ֑ק וּ⁠בִ⁠ימֵי֙ נְחֶמְיָ֣ה הַ⁠פֶּחָ֔ה וְ⁠עֶזְרָ֥א הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֖ן הַ⁠סּוֹפֵֽר 1 in the days of Joiakim…Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra…scribe The date was fixed by listing those who were leading the Jews at the time. “when Joiakim…Jozadak was high priest, and when Nehemiah was governor and Ezra…was the scribe” NEH 12 27 e63y וּ⁠בַ⁠חֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם 1 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem Possible meanings are (1) “At the time when they dedicated the wall of Jerusalem” or (2) “So that the dedication of Jerusalem’s wall could take place.” NEH 12 27 s6xv translate-unknown מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם 1 cymbals two thin, round metal plates that are hit together to make a loud sound (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]]) NEH 12 29 lnm1 translate-names וּ⁠מִ⁠בֵּית֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל…גֶּ֖בַע וְ⁠עַזְמָ֑וֶת 1 Beth Gilgal…Geba and Azmaveth These are the names of places. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 31 zsj6 אֶת־שָׂרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה 1 the leaders of Judah the leaders of the people who lived in the region of Judah NEH 12 32 ni9q translate-names הוֹשַׁ֣עְיָ֔ה 1 Hoshaiah These are the names of males. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 33 x16d translate-names וַ⁠עֲזַרְיָ֥ה עֶזְרָ֖א וּ⁠מְשֻׁלָּֽם 1 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam These are the names of males. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 34 t5un translate-names יְהוּדָה֙ וּ⁠בִנְיָמִ֔ן וּֽ⁠שְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה וְ⁠יִרְמְיָֽה 1 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah These are the names of males. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 35 h1hm translate-names זְכַרְיָ֨ה…יֽוֹנָתָ֜ן…שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה…מַתַּנְיָה֙…מִ֣יכָיָ֔ה…זַכּ֖וּר…אָסָֽף 1 Zechariah…Jonathan…Shemaiah…Mattaniah…Micaiah…Zaccur…Asaph These are the names of males. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 35 cp3q וּ⁠מִ⁠בְּנֵ֥י הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֖ים בַּ⁠חֲצֹצְר֑וֹת זְכַרְיָ֨ה 1 some of the priests’ sons with trumpets, and Zechariah Some versions read, “from among the priests with trumpets, Zechariah” NEH 12 35 q33v זְכַרְיָ֨ה בֶן־יֽוֹנָתָ֜ן בֶּן־שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה֙ בֶּן־מִ֣יכָיָ֔ה בֶּן־זַכּ֖וּר בֶּן־אָסָֽף 1 Zechariah son of Jonathan son of Shemaiah son of Mattaniah son of Micaiah son of Zaccur son of Asaph All of the names after “Zechariah” are the ancestors of Zechariah. This list connects Zechariah with the famous singer Asaph. “Zechariah who was the son of Jonathan, who was the son of Shemaiah, who was the son of Mattaniah, who was the son of Micaiah, who was the son of Zaccur son of Asaph” NEH 12 36 kmk3 translate-names שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה וַ⁠עֲזַרְאֵ֡ל מִֽלֲלַ֡י גִּֽלֲלַ֡י מָעַ֞י נְתַנְאֵ֤ל וִֽ⁠יהוּדָה֙ חֲנָ֔נִי…דָּוִ֖יד…וְ⁠עֶזְרָ֥א 1 Zechariah…Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, Hanani…David…Ezra These are the names of males. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 36 n2tl וְ⁠עֶזְרָ֥א הַ⁠סּוֹפֵ֖ר לִ⁠פְנֵי⁠הֶֽ 1 Ezra the scribe was in front of them “Ezra the scribe was leading them” NEH 12 37 c38r שַׁ֨עַר הָ⁠עַ֜יִן…שַׁ֥עַר הַ⁠מַּ֖יִם 1 Fountain Gate…Water Gate These are the names of openings in the wall. NEH 12 38 fbi3 וְ⁠הַ⁠תּוֹדָ֧ה 1 choir group of singers NEH 12 38 t11k וַ⁠אֲנִ֣י אַחֲרֶ֑י⁠הָ 1 I followed them Nehemiah followed them. NEH 12 38 j2zn translate-names לְ⁠מִגְדַּ֣ל הַ⁠תַּנּוּרִ֔ים 1 Tower of Ovens This is the name of a tall structure where people kept watch for danger. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 38 a5ww הַ⁠חוֹמָ֥ה הָ⁠רְחָבָֽה 1 Broad Wall This is a name for part of the wall. NEH 12 39 v1ni translate-names וּ⁠מִגְדַּ֤ל חֲנַנְאֵל֙ וּ⁠מִגְדַּ֣ל הַ⁠מֵּאָ֔ה 1 Tower of Hananel…Tower of the Hundred These are the names of tall structures where people kept watch for danger. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 39 v264 לְ⁠שַֽׁעַר־אֶ֠פְרַיִם…שַׁ֨עַר הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה…שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠דָּגִ֗ים…שַׁ֣עַר הַ⁠צֹּ֑אן…בְּ⁠שַׁ֖עַר הַ⁠מַּטָּרָֽה 1 Gate of Ephraim…Old Gate…Fish Gate…Sheep Gate…Gate of the Guard These are the names of openings in the wall. NEH 12 40 ai1v וַ⁠אֲנִ֕י 1 I also took my place Nehemiah is speaking here. Alternate translation: “I, Nehemiah, also took my place” NEH 12 41 s4t8 translate-names אֶלְיָקִ֡ים מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה מִ֠נְיָמִין מִיכָיָ֧ה אֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֛י זְכַרְיָ֥ה חֲנַנְיָ֖ה 1 Eliakim…Maaseiah…Miniamin…Micaiah…Elioenai…Zechariah…Hananiah These are the names of males who were the priests at that time. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 41 bnz5 בַּ⁠חֲצֹצְרֽוֹת 1 with the trumpets Possible meanings are (1) only the first seven priests listed from Eliakim to Hananiah carried trumpets or (2) all 15 priests listed from Eliakim to Ezer carried trumpets. NEH 12 42 gqe1 translate-names וּ⁠מַעֲשֵׂיָ֨ה וּֽ⁠שְׁמַֽעְיָ֜ה וְ⁠אֶלְעָזָ֧ר וְ⁠עֻזִּ֛י וִֽ⁠יהוֹחָנָ֥ן וּ⁠מַלְכִּיָּ֖ה וְ⁠עֵילָ֣ם וָ⁠עָ֑זֶר 1 Maaseiah…Shemaiah…Eleazar…Uzzi…Jehohanan…Malkijah…Elam…Ezer These are the names of males who were the priests at that time. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 12 42 tdc8 וְ⁠יִֽזְרַחְיָ֖ה 1 Jezrahiah This is the name of a male who was the leader of the singers. NEH 12 42 y2qj וַ⁠יַּשְׁמִ֨יעוּ֙ 1 made themselves heard “sang loudly” NEH 12 43 jgp9 שִׂמְּחָ⁠ם֙ שִׂמְחָ֣ה 1 rejoice with great joy “rejoice greatly” NEH 12 43 p5fe figs-metonymy וַ⁠תִּשָּׁמַ֛ע שִׂמְחַ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם מֵ⁠רָחֽוֹק 1 So the joy of Jerusalem could be heard far away “The joy of Jerusalem” here is a metonym for “the sound that the people of Jerusalem made.” This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “people far away from Jerusalem could hear the sound that the people of Jerusalem made as they celebrated” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 12 44 fsb6 figs-activepassive וַ⁠יִּפָּקְד֣וּ בַ⁠יּוֹם֩ הַ⁠ה֨וּא אֲנָשִׁ֜ים עַל 1 men were appointed to be in charge This can be stated in active form. It is not clear who appointed the men. Alternate translation: “they appointed men to be in charge” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 12 44 bnw2 לָ⁠א֨וֹצָר֥וֹת 1 the contributions things the people gave to the priests NEH 12 44 g347 כִּ֚י שִׂמְחַ֣ת יְהוּדָ֔ה עַל־הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְ⁠עַל־הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֖ם 1 For Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites It seems that the people appointed the men because the people of Judah were grateful for the priests and Levites who were serving. NEH 12 44 g9pg figs-explicit הָ⁠עֹמְדִֽים 1 who were standing before them The Levites and priests were not just standing, they were serving in their roles. The meaning can be made explicit. Alternate translation: “who were standing before them serving God” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 12 45 lm4j וְ⁠הַ⁠שֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים 1 gatekeepers These were people assigned to each gate, responsible to control access to the city or temple, as well as to open and close the gates at times and for reasons set by the administrator. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 12 46 py1c ראש הַ⁠מְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔ים 1 there were directors of singers This sentence tells why the people did what they did in [Nehemiah 12:45](../12/45.md) and gives us more information about the time when David told people how to worship at the temple. NEH 12 47 flz7 בִּ⁠ימֵ֨י זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל 1 In the days of Zerubbabel Zerubbabel was a descendant of King David and one of the governors in the region of Judah. NEH 12 47 mu9s נֹֽתְנִ֛ים מְנָי֛וֹת 1 They set aside the portion “All Israel set aside the portion” NEH 12 47 e72p לִ⁠בְנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן 1 the descendants of Aaron the priests in Israel, who descended from Aaron, the brother of Moses NEH 13 intro tm5a 0 # Nehemiah 13 General Notes
## Special concepts in this chapter

### Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem

Nehemiah was eager to make sure that the Jews kept their promise to obey the law. When he returned from Persia, he found many things wrong: one of the store rooms in the temple had been converted into a guest room for Tobiah, the Levites had not received their portions for working in the temple, people were working on the Sabbath, and many had married heathen wives. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/promise]], [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/temple]] and [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sabbath]]) NEH 13 1 k9za בְּ⁠אָזְנֵ֣י הָ⁠עָ֑ם 1 in the hearing of the people “so that the people could hear it” NEH 13 1 j6si יָב֨וֹא…בִּ⁠קְהַ֥ל הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־עוֹלָֽם 1 should come into the assembly of God, forever “should ever come into the assembly of God” NEH 13 2 tf8z כִּ֣י 1 This was because “They could not come into the assembly because” NEH 13 4 bq8k figs-activepassive אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙ הַ⁠כֹּהֵ֔ן נָת֖וּן 1 Eliashib the priest was appointed This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “they appointed Eliashib the priest” or “the leaders appointed Eliashib the priest” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 13 4 adq9 קָר֖וֹב לְ⁠טוֹבִיָּֽה 1 He was related to Tobiah “Eliashib and Tobiah worked closely together” NEH 13 4 c9hf אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙…לְ⁠טוֹבִיָּֽה 1 Eliashib…Tobiah These are the names of men. NEH 13 5 xi14 וַ⁠יַּ֨עַשׂ ל֜⁠וֹ לִשְׁכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה 1 Eliashib prepared for Tobiah a large storeroom “Eliashib prepared a large storeroom for Tobiah to use” NEH 13 5 v2in וְ⁠הַ⁠שֹּׁעֲרִ֑ים 1 gatekeepers people assigned to each gate, responsible to control access to the city or temple, as well as to open and close the gates at times and for reasons set by the administrator. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 7:1](../07/01.md). NEH 13 6 hxp8 וּ⁠בְ⁠כָל־זֶ֕ה לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי בִּֽ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם 1 But in all this time I was not in Jerusalem “During the time all this was happening, I was away from Jerusalem” NEH 13 6 dpk4 לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי 1 I was not Here “I” refers to Nehemiah. NEH 13 7 up8j נִשְׁכָּ֔ה בְּ⁠חַצְרֵ֖י בֵּ֥ית הָ⁠אֱלֹהִֽים 1 a storeroom in the courts of the house of God This was a room which had previously been purified to store offering supplies ([Nehemiah 13:5](../13/05.md)). NEH 13 10 k9k6 figs-explicit מְנָי֥וֹת הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֖ם לֹ֣א נִתָּ֑נָה 1 the Levites’ portions had not been given to them The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. This can also be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “the people had not been bringing into the storerooms their tithes and offerings of food for the temple priests” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 13 10 f2ng וַ⁠יִּבְרְח֧וּ אִישׁ־לְ⁠שָׂדֵ֛⁠הוּ הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֥ם וְ⁠הַ⁠מְשֹׁרְרִ֖ים עֹשֵׂ֥י הַ⁠מְּלָאכָֽה 1 they had run away, each to his own field, the Levites and the singers who did the work “the Levites and the singers who did the work had left the temple, each one going to his own field” NEH 13 11 mx4v figs-rquestion מַדּ֖וּעַ נֶעֱזַ֣ב בֵּית־הָ⁠אֱלֹהִ֑ים 1 Why is the house of God neglected? Nehemiah uses a rhetorical question to challenge or even ridicule the officials who had not done their work. This question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “You have neglected the house of God!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 13 12 a9ux figs-metonymy וְ⁠כָל־יְהוּדָ֗ה 1 all Judah The name of the land is a metonym for the people of the land. This is probably a generalization. Alternate translation: “all the people who lived in Judah” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-hyperbole]]) NEH 13 13 mu7f translate-names שֶׁלֶמְיָ֨ה…וְ⁠צָד֣וֹק…וּ⁠פְדָיָה֙…חָנָ֥ן…זַכּ֖וּר…מַתַּנְיָ֑ה 1 Shelemiah…Zadok…Pedaiah…Hanan…Zaccur…Mattaniah These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 13 e8x3 figs-activepassive נֶאֱמָנִים֙ נֶחְשָׁ֔בוּ 1 they were counted as trustworthy This can be translated in active form. The abstract noun “trustworthy” can be translated as a verb. Alternate translation: “I knew that I could trust them” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-abstractnouns]]) NEH 13 14 v861 זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֥⁠י אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י עַל־זֹ֑את 1 Call me to mind, my God, concerning this “My God, remember me concerning this” NEH 13 15 cp44 figs-metonymy דֹּֽרְכִֽים־גִּתּ֣וֹת 1 treading winepresses The word “winepresses” is a metonym for the grapes that were in the winepresses. The people were walking on grapes to get the juice out of them to make wine. Alternate translation: “walking on grapes in winepresses” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 13 15 z3xh דֹּֽרְכִֽים 1 treading walking on something to crush or press it NEH 13 16 yvh1 translate-names וְ⁠הַ⁠צֹּרִים֙ 1 Tyre This is the name of a city. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 17 w5nr figs-rquestion מָֽה־הַ⁠דָּבָ֨ר הָ⁠רָ֤ע הַ⁠זֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וּֽ⁠מְחַלְּלִ֖ים אֶת־י֥וֹם הַ⁠שַּׁבָּֽת 1 What is this evil thing you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? Nehemiah is using a rhetorical question to scold the leaders of Judah. This can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “You are doing an evil thing by profaning the Sabbath day.” or “God will punish you for doing this evil thing, for profaning the Sabbath day.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 13 18 ge49 figs-rquestion הֲ⁠ל֨וֹא כֹ֤ה עָשׂוּ֙ אֲבֹ֣תֵי⁠כֶ֔ם וַ⁠יָּבֵ֨א אֱלֹהֵ֜י⁠נוּ עָלֵ֗י⁠נוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָ⁠רָעָ֣ה הַ⁠זֹּ֔את וְ⁠עַ֖ל הָ⁠עִ֣יר הַ⁠זֹּ֑את 1 Did not your fathers do this? Did not our God bring all this evil on us and on this city? Nehemiah is using these rhetorical questions to scold the leaders of Judah. These questions can be combined and translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “You know that your fathers did this, and that is why God brought all this evil on us and on this city.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 13 19 p31h וַ⁠יְהִ֡י כַּ⁠אֲשֶׁ֣ר צָֽלֲלוּ֩ שַׁעֲרֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י הַ⁠שַּׁבָּ֗ת 1 As soon as it became dark…before the Sabbath “When the sun went down…and it was time for the Sabbath to begin” NEH 13 19 vk4t figs-activepassive וַ⁠יִּסָּגְר֣וּ הַ⁠דְּלָת֔וֹת וָ⁠אֹ֣מְרָ֔⁠ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יִפְתָּח֔וּ⁠ם עַ֖ד אַחַ֣ר הַ⁠שַּׁבָּ֑ת 1 that the doors be shut and that they should not be opened until This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “that the guards shut the doors and not open them until” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 13 19 wy3q figs-activepassive לֹא־יָב֥וֹא מַשָּׂ֖א 1 no load could be brought in This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: “no one could bring in things they wanted to sell” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]]) NEH 13 20 s2hv וּ⁠מֹכְרֵ֧י כָל־מִמְכָּ֛ר 1 sellers of all kinds of wares “people who had brought many different things they wanted to sell” NEH 13 21 hi84 figs-rquestion מַדּ֜וּעַ אַתֶּ֤ם לֵנִים֙ נֶ֣גֶד הַ⁠חוֹמָ֔ה 1 Why do you camp outside the wall? Nehemiah uses a rhetorical question to rebuke merchants and to emphasize his command. This question can be translated as a statement. The full meaning of this statement can also be made explicit. Alternate translation: “You are camping outside the wall against what I commanded.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 13 21 hfv7 figs-metonymy יָ֖ד אֶשְׁלַ֣ח בָּ⁠כֶ֑ם 1 I will lay hands on you! The word “hands” is a metonym for forceful action. Alternate translation: “I will send you away by force!” or “I will remove you by force!” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]]) NEH 13 22 mis6 גַּם־זֹאת֙ זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֣⁠י אֱלֹהַ֔⁠י 1 Call me to mind for this also, my God “My God, remember me concerning this also.” See how you translated a similar phrase in [Nehemiah 13:14](../13/14.md). NEH 13 23 zxc2 0 Connecting Statement: These verses introduce the action that follows. NEH 13 23 jp2w figs-explicit אֶת־הַ⁠יְּהוּדִים֙ הֹשִׁ֗יבוּ נָשִׁים֙ אשדודיות עמוניות 1 Jews that had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab “Jews that had married foreign women.” God had forbidden intermarriage. The full meaning of this statement can be made clear. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]]) NEH 13 23 l9c2 translate-names אשדודיות 1 Ashdod This is the name of a city. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 23 b4nt translate-names עמוניות מוֹאֲבִיּֽוֹת 1 Ammon…Moab These are the names of nations. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 24 w247 וּ⁠בְנֵי⁠הֶ֗ם חֲצִי֙ 1 Half of their children “As a result, half of their children” NEH 13 25 dzu5 וָ⁠אָרִ֤יב עִמָּ⁠ם֙ 1 I confronted them “I spoke directly to them about what they had done” NEH 13 25 hg44 וָ⁠אַכֶּ֥ה מֵ⁠הֶ֛ם 1 I hit some of them Nehemiah hit some of them with his hands. NEH 13 25 gzx6 וָ⁠אַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣⁠ם בֵּֽ⁠אלֹהִ֗ים 1 I made them swear by God “I made them say a promise before God” NEH 13 26 l9xm figs-rquestion הֲ⁠ל֣וֹא עַל־אֵ֣לֶּה חָטָֽא־שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה מֶ֣לֶךְ 1 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of these women? Nehemiah uses a rhetorical question to scold the men. This can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “You know that Solomon king of Israel sinned on account of these women.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 13 27 vp56 figs-rquestion וְ⁠לָ⁠כֶ֣ם הֲ⁠נִשְׁמַ֗ע לַ⁠עֲשֹׂת֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הָ⁠רָעָ֤ה הַ⁠גְּדוֹלָה֙ הַ⁠זֹּ֔את לִ⁠מְעֹ֖ל בֵּֽ⁠אלֹהֵ֑י⁠נוּ לְ⁠הֹשִׁ֖יב נָשִׁ֥ים נָכְרִיּֽוֹת 1 Should we then listen to you and do all this great evil, and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women? Nehemiah uses a rhetorical question to scold the men. This can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “We will not listen to you or do this great evil or act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women.” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]]) NEH 13 28 dft4 translate-names יוֹיָדָ֤ע…אֶלְיָשִׁיב֙…לְ⁠סַנְבַלַּ֣ט 1 Joiada…Eliashib…Sanballat These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 28 f8ak translate-names הַ⁠חֹרֹנִ֑י 1 the Horonite This refers to a person from the city of Beth Horon. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]]) NEH 13 28 rhs8 וָ⁠אַבְרִיחֵ֖⁠הוּ מֵ⁠עָלָֽ⁠י 1 I caused him to flee from my presence “I chased him away” or “I made him leave Jerusalem” NEH 13 29 pa21 זָכְרָ֥⁠ה לָ⁠הֶ֖ם 1 Call them to mind “Think about them” or “Remember what they have done.” See how you translated a similar phrase in [Nehemiah 13:14](../13/14.md). NEH 13 29 mn8k figs-metaphor עַ֚ל גָּאֳלֵ֣י הַ⁠כְּהֻנָּ֔ה וּ⁠בְרִ֥ית הַ⁠כְּהֻנָּ֖ה וְ⁠הַ⁠לְוִיִּֽם 1 they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites Causing the priesthood to be dishonored and breaking the covenant is spoken of as if they made the priesthood and covenant physically unclean. Alternate translation: “they have dishonored the priesthood and broken the covenant you made with the priests and Levites” (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]]) NEH 13 30 gd16 וְ⁠טִֽהַרְתִּ֖י⁠ם 1 Thus I cleansed them “In this way I purified them” NEH 13 30 s3y9 וָ⁠אַעֲמִ֧ידָ⁠ה מִשְׁמָר֛וֹת לַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֥ים וְ⁠לַ⁠לְוִיִּ֖ם 1 established the duties of the priests and the Levites “told the priests and Levites what they were to do” NEH 13 31 vl4a וּ⁠לְ⁠קֻרְבַּ֧ן הָ⁠עֵצִ֛ים 1 I provided for the wood offering “I arranged for a supply of wood for the wood offerings” NEH 13 31 sh91 וְ⁠לַ⁠בִּכּוּרִ֑ים 1 for the firstfruits “for the offering of firstfruits at harvest time” NEH 13 31 ae94 זָכְרָ⁠ה־לִּ֥⁠י אֱלֹהַ֖⁠י לְ⁠טוֹבָֽה 1 Call me to mind, my God, for good “Think about all I have done, my God, and bless me because of the good things I have done.” See how you translated a similar phrase in [Nehemiah 13:14](../13/14.md).