##### "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 #####
While the author of this book is probably Ezra, 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.
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