4:7 (4:1) 1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem 2 had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry.
6:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates),
9:25 So know and understand:
From the issuing of the command 3 to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem 4 until an anointed one, a prince arrives, 5
there will be a period of seven weeks 6 and sixty-two weeks.
It will again be built, 7 with plaza and moat,
but in distressful times.
9:11 “In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut 8 of David.
I will seal its 9 gaps,
repair its 10 ruins,
and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. 11
1 sn Chapter 4 begins here in the Hebrew text (BHS). See the note at 4:1.
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
3 tn Or “decree” (NASB, NIV); or “word” (NAB, NRSV).
4 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
5 tn The word “arrives” is added in the translation for clarification.
6 tn Heb “sevens” (also later in this line and in v. 26).
7 tn Heb “it will return and be built.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.
8 tn The phrase translated “collapsing hut” refers to a temporary shelter (cf. NASB, NRSV “booth”) in disrepair and emphasizes the relatively weakened condition of the once powerful Davidic dynasty. Others have suggested that the term refers to Jerusalem, while still others argue that it should be repointed to read “Sukkoth,” a garrison town in Transjordan. Its reconstruction would symbolize the rebirth of the Davidic empire and its return to power (e.g., M. E. Polley, Amos and the Davidic Empire, 71-74).
9 tc The MT reads a third feminine plural suffix, which could refer to the two kingdoms (Judah and Israel) or, more literally, to the breaches in the walls of the cities that are mentioned in v. 4 (cf. 4:3). Some emend to third feminine singular, since the “hut” of the preceding line (a feminine singular noun) might be the antecedent. In that case, the final nun (ן) is virtually dittographic with the vav (ו) that appears at the beginning of the following word.
10 tc The MT reads a third masculine singular suffix, which could refer back to David. However, it is possible that an original third feminine singular suffix (יה-, yod-hey) has been misread as masculine (יו-, yod-vav). In later Hebrew script a ה (he) resembles a יו- (yod-vav) combination.
11 tn Heb “and I will rebuild as in days of antiquity.”