Nehemiah 1:8

1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. ¹ 

Nehemiah 5:9

5:9 Then I ²  said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! ³  Should you not conduct yourselves ⁴  in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?

Nehemiah 5:11

5:11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest ⁵  that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”

Nehemiah 13:17

13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

[1:8]  ¹ tn Heb “peoples.”

[5:9]  ² tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”).

[5:9]  ³ tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.

[5:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”

[5:11]  ³ tc The MT reads וּמְאַת (umÿ’at, “and the hundredth”) which is somewhat enigmatic. The BHS editors suggest emending to וּמַשַּׁאת (umasha’t, “and the debt”) which refers to the interest or collateral (pledge) seized by a creditor (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; see HALOT 641-42 s.v. מַשָּׁא). The term מַשַּׁאת (masha’t) is related to the noun מָשָּׁא (masha’, “debt”) in 5:7, 10.