12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from 1 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 2 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 3
1:1 4 These are the words of Nehemiah 5 son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, 6 I was in Susa 7 the citadel.
1 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
2 tn Heb “for Judah.” The words “the people of” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, since “Judah” is a proper name as well as a place name.
3 tn Heb “standing.”
4 sn In ancient Judaism Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as a single book with dual authorship. According to the Talmud, “Ezra wrote his book” (b. Bava Batra 15a). The Gemara then asks and answers, “And who finished it? Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.” Accordingly, the two are joined in the Leningrad Codex (ca.
5 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nÿkhemyah) means “the
6 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
7 tn Heb “Shushan.”