Discovery BoxNehemiah 1:1--12:47
Context1:1 1 These are the words of Nehemiah 2 son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, 3 I was in Susa 4 the citadel. 1:2 Hanani, who was one of my relatives, 5 along with some of the men from Judah, came to me, 6 and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped and had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem. 7
1:3 They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable 8 adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!” 9
1:4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, 10 crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 1:5 Then I said, “Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant 11 with those who love him and obey 12 his commandments, 1:6 may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed 13 against you – both I myself and my family 14 have sinned. 1:7 We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. 1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. 15 1:9 But if you repent 16 and obey 17 my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, 18 I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 1:10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 1:11 Please, 19 O Lord, listen attentively 20 to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect 21 to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me 22 in the presence of this man.”
Now 23 I was cupbearer for the king.
2:1 Then in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought to me, 24 I took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously 25 I had not been depressed 26 in the king’s presence. 27 2:2 So the king said to me, “Why do you appear to be depressed when you aren’t sick? What can this be other than sadness of heart?” This made me very fearful.
2:3 I replied to the king, “O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors 28 lies desolate and its gates destroyed 29 by fire?” 2:4 The king responded, 30 “What is it you are seeking?” Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven 2:5 and said to the king, “If the king is so inclined 31 and if your servant has found favor in your sight, dispatch me to Judah, to the city with the graves of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it.” 2:6 Then the king, with his consort 32 sitting beside him, replied, “How long would your trip take, and when would you return?” Since the king was amenable to dispatching me, 33 I gave him a time. 2:7 I said to the king, “If the king is so inclined, let him give me letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates 34 that will enable me to travel safely until I reach Judah, 2:8 and a letter for Asaph the keeper of the king’s nature preserve, 35 so that he will give me timber for beams for the gates of the fortress adjacent to the temple and for the city wall 36 and for the house to which I go.” So the king granted me these requests, 37 for the good hand of my God was on me. 2:9 Then I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and I presented to them the letters from the king. The king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official 38 heard all this, they were very displeased that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites.
2:11 So I came to Jerusalem. 39 When I had been there for three days, 2:12 I got up during the night, along with a few men who were with me. But I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me, except for the one 40 I was riding. 2:13 I proceeded through the Valley Gate by night, in the direction of the Well of the Dragons 41 and the Dung Gate, 42 inspecting 43 the walls of Jerusalem that had been breached and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 2:14 I passed on to the Gate of the Well and the King’s Pool, where there was not enough room for my animal to pass with me. 2:15 I continued up the valley during the night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to the Valley Gate, and so returned. 2:16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had been doing, for up to this point I had not told any of the Jews or the priests or the nobles or the officials or the rest of the workers. 2:17 Then I said to them, “You see the problem that we have: Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue.” 2:18 Then I related to them how the good hand of my God was on me and what 44 the king had said to me. Then they replied, “Let’s begin rebuilding right away!” 45 So they readied themselves 46 for this good project. 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard all this, 47 they derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” 2:20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. 48 But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” 49
3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest and his priestly colleagues 50 arose and built the Sheep Gate. They dedicated 51 it and erected its doors, working as far as the Tower of the Hundred 52 and 53 the Tower of Hananel. 3:2 The men of Jericho 54 built adjacent to it, and Zaccur son of Imri built adjacent to them. 55
3:3 The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 3:4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakoz, worked on the section adjacent to them. Meshullam son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel worked on the section next to them. And Zadok son of Baana worked on the section adjacent to them. 3:5 The men of Tekoa worked on the section adjacent to them, but their town leaders 56 would not assist 57 with the work of their master. 58
3:6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah worked on the Jeshanah Gate. 59 They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 3:7 Adjacent to them worked Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, who were men of Gibeon and Mizpah. These towns were under the jurisdiction 60 of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 3:8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a member of the goldsmiths’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. Hananiah, a member of the perfumers’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. They plastered 61 the city wall of Jerusalem 62 as far as the Broad Wall. 3:9 Rephaiah son of Hur, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to them. 3:10 Jedaiah son of Harumaph worked on the section adjacent to them opposite 63 his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah worked on the section adjacent to him. 3:11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab worked on another section and the Tower of the Fire Pots. 3:12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to him, assisted by his daughters. 64
3:13 Hanun and the residents of Zanoah worked on the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars, in addition to working on fifteen hundred feet 65 of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
3:14 Malkijah son of Recab, head of the district of Beth Hakkerem, worked on the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
3:15 Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, head of the district of Mizpah, worked on the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, put on its roof, and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. In addition, he rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam, 66 by the royal garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David. 3:16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk, head of a half-district of Beth Zur, worked after him as far as the tombs of David and the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors.
3:17 After him the Levites worked – Rehum son of Bani and 67 after him Hashabiah, head of half the district of Keilah, for his district. 3:18 After him their relatives 68 worked – Binnui 69 son of Henadad, head of a half-district of Keilah. 3:19 Adjacent to him Ezer son of Jeshua, head of Mizpah, worked on another section, opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 3:20 After him Baruch son of Zabbai worked on another section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 3:21 After him Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, worked on another section from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of it. 70
3:22 After him the priests worked, men of the nearby district. 3:23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub worked opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, worked near his house. 3:24 After him Binnui son of Henadad worked on another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and the corner. 3:25 After him Palal son of Uzai worked 71 opposite the buttress and the tower that protrudes from the upper palace 72 of the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh 3:26 and the temple servants who were living on Ophel worked 73 up to the area opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the protruding tower. 3:27 After them the men of Tekoa worked on another section, from opposite the great protruding tower to the wall of Ophel.
3:28 Above the Horse Gate the priests worked, each in front of his house. 3:29 After them Zadok son of Immer worked opposite his house, and after him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard at the East Gate, worked. 3:30 After him 74 Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, worked on another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah worked opposite his quarters. 3:31 After him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, worked as far as the house of the temple servants and the traders, opposite the Inspection Gate, 75 and up to the room above the corner. 3:32 And between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and traders worked.
4:1 (3:33) 76 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, 4:2 and in the presence of his colleagues 77 and the army of Samaria 78 he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? 79 Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4:4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! 4:5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended 80 the builders! 81
4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. 82 The people were enthusiastic in their work. 83
4:7 (4:1) 84 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem 85 had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. 4:8 All of them conspired together to move with armed forces 86 against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. 4:9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them 87 both day and night. 4:10 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers 88 has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”
4:11 Our adversaries also boasted, 89 “Before they are aware or anticipate 90 anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”
4:12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly 91 about all the schemes 92 they were plotting 93 against us.
4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. 94 I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 4:14 When I had made an inspection, 95 I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, 96 and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!” 97
4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, 98 God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 4:16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, 99 shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people 100 of Judah 4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. 101 Those who were carrying loads did so 102 by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 4:18 The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter 103 remained with me.
4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding 104 and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
4:21 So we worked on, 105 with half 106 holding spears, from dawn till dusk. 107 4:22 At that time I instructed 108 the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. 4:23 We did not change clothes 109 – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. 110
5:1 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. 111 5:2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain 112 grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 5:3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 5:4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king 113 on our fields and our vineyards. 5:5 And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, 114 and our children are just like their children, 115 still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. 116 Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, 117 since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.” 118
5:6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 119 5:7 I considered these things carefully 120 and then registered a complaint with the wealthy 121 and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral 122 from your own countrymen!” 123 Because of them I called for 124 a great public assembly. 5:8 I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews 125 who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, 126 so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
5:9 Then I 127 said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! 128 Should you not conduct yourselves 129 in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 5:10 Even I and my relatives 130 and my associates 131 are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral! 132 5:11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest 133 that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”
5:12 They replied, “We will return these things, 134 and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials 135 swear to do what had been promised. 136 5:13 I also shook out my garment, 137 and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out 138 this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised. 139
5:14 From the day that I was appointed 140 governor 141 in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes – twelve years in all – neither I nor my relatives 142 ate the food allotted to the governor. 143 5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to 144 forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God. 5:16 I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing 145 a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.
5:17 There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely, 146 in addition to those who came to us from the nations 147 all around us. 5:18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.
5:19 Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
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), 6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim 148 in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.
6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in 149 an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?” 6:4 They contacted 150 me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. 151
6:5 The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. 6:6 Written in it were the following words:
“Among the nations it is rumored 152 (and Geshem 153 has substantiated 154 this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors 155 you are going to become their king. 6:7 You have also established prophets to announce 156 in Jerusalem 157 on your behalf, ‘We have a king in Judah!’ Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let’s talk about this.” 158
6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. 159 All of this is a figment of your imagination.” 160
6:9 All of them were wanting 161 to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”
So now, strengthen my hands! 162
6:10 Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. 163 He said, “Let’s set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you.”
6:11 But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? 164 I will not go!” 6:12 I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. 165 6:13 He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I 166 would be discredited. 167
6:14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs – also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!
6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in just fifty-two days. 6:16 When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw 168 this, they were greatly disheartened. 169 They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
6:17 In those days the aristocrats of Judah repeatedly sent letters to Tobiah, and responses from Tobiah were repeatedly coming to them. 6:18 For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him, 170 because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jonathan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. 6:19 They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. 171 Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare 172 me.
7:1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 7:2 I then put in charge over Jerusalem 173 my brother Hanani and Hananiah 174 the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do. 7:3 I 175 said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, 176 until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. 177 Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.” 7:4 Now the city was spread out 178 and large, and there were not a lot of people in it. 179 At that time houses had not been rebuilt. 7:5 My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders, 180 the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records 181 of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record: 182
7:6 These are the people 183 of the province who returned 184 from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile. 185 They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city. 7:7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelite men 186 was as follows:
7:8 the descendants 187 of Parosh, 2,172;
7:9 the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;
7:10 the descendants of Arah, 652;
7:11 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line 188 of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;
7:12 the descendants of Elam, 1,254;
7:13 the descendants of Zattu, 845;
7:14 the descendants of Zaccai, 760;
7:15 the descendants of Binnui, 648;
7:16 the descendants of Bebai, 628;
7:17 the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;
7:18 the descendants of Adonikam, 667;
7:19 the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;
7:20 the descendants of Adin, 655;
7:21 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;
7:22 the descendants of Hashum, 328;
7:23 the descendants of Bezai, 324;
7:24 the descendants of Harif, 112;
7:25 the descendants of Gibeon, 95;
7:26 The men of Bethlehem 189 and Netophah, 188;
7:27 the men of Anathoth, 128;
7:28 the men of the family 190 of Azmaveth, 42;
7:29 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743;
7:30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
7:31 the men of Micmash, 122;
7:32 the men of Bethel 191 and Ai, 123;
7:33 the men of the other Nebo, 52;
7:34 the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;
7:35 the descendants of Harim, 320;
7:36 the descendants of Jericho, 345;
7:37 the descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;
7:38 the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.
7:39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family 192 of Jeshua), 973;
7:40 the descendants of Immer, 1,052;
7:41 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;
7:42 the descendants of Harim, 1,017.
7:43 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodaviah), 74.
7:44 The singers:
the descendants of Asaph, 148.
7:45 The gatekeepers:
the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai, 138.
7:46 The temple servants:
the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 7:47 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon, 7:48 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai, 7:49 the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, 7:50 the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, 7:51 the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, 7:52 the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 7:53 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 7:54 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 7:55 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 7:56 the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.
7:57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, 7:58 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 7:59 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.
7:60 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392.
7:61 These are the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify 193 their family connection 194 or their ancestry, 195 as to whether they were really from Israel):
7:62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642.
7:63 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a woman from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 7:64 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excluded 196 from the priesthood. 7:65 The governor 197 instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult 198 the Urim and Thummim.
7:66 The entire group numbered 42,360, 7:67 not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers. 7:68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 7:69 (7:68) 199 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 7:70 Some of the family leaders 200 contributed to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 201 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments. 7:71 Some of the family leaders gave to the project treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 7:72 What the rest of the people gave amounted to 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.
7:73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all the rest of Israel lived in their cities.
When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites 202 were settled in their cities, 203 8:1 all the people gathered together 204 in the plaza which was in front of the Water Gate. They asked 205 Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had commanded Israel. 8:2 So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly which included men and women and all those able to understand what they heard. (This happened on the first day of the seventh month.) 8:3 So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon 206 before the men and women and those children who could understand. 207 All the people were eager to hear 208 the book of the law.
8:4 Ezra the scribe stood on a towering wooden platform 209 constructed for this purpose. Standing near him on his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Masseiah. On his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 8:5 Ezra opened the book in plain view 210 of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, 211 all the people stood up. 8:6 Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people replied “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
8:7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah – all of whom were Levites 212 – were teaching the people the law, as the people remained standing. 8:8 They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it 213 and imparting insight. Thus the people 214 gained understanding from what was read.
8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, 215 Ezra the priestly scribe, 216 and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, 217 “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping when they heard the words of the law. 8:10 He said to them, “Go and eat delicacies and drink sweet drinks and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared. For this day is holy to our Lord. 218 Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
8:11 Then the Levites quieted all the people saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy. Do not grieve.” 8:12 So all the people departed to eat and drink and to share their food 219 with others 220 and to enjoy tremendous joy, 221 for they had gained insight in the matters that had been made known to them.
8:13 On the second day of the month the family leaders 222 met with 223 Ezra the scribe, together with all the people, the priests, and the Levites, to consider the words of the law. 8:14 They discovered written in the law that the LORD had commanded through 224 Moses that the Israelites should live in temporary shelters during the festival of the seventh month, 8:15 and that they should make a proclamation and disseminate this message 225 in all their cities and in Jerusalem: 226 “Go to the hill country and bring back olive branches and branches of wild olive trees, myrtle trees, date palms, and other leafy trees to construct temporary shelters, as it is written.”
8:16 So the people went out and brought these things 227 back and constructed temporary shelters for themselves, each on his roof and in his courtyard and in the courtyards of the temple 228 of God and in the plaza of the Water Gate and the plaza of the Ephraim Gate. 8:17 So all the assembly which had returned from the exile constructed temporary shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. Everyone experienced very great joy. 229 8:18 Ezra 230 read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. 231 They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly 232 as was required. 233
9:1 On the twenty-fourth day of this same month the Israelites assembled; they were fasting and wearing sackcloth, their heads covered with dust. 9:2 Those truly of Israelite descent 234 separated from all the foreigners, 235 standing and confessing their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. 236 9:3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins 237 and worshiping the LORD their God. 9:4 Then the Levites – Jeshua, Binnui, 238 Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani – stood on the steps and called out loudly 239 to the LORD their God. 9:5 The Levites – Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah – said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God!”
“May you be blessed, O LORD our God, from age to age. 240 May your glorious name 241 be blessed; may it be lifted up above all blessing and praise. 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, 242 along with all their multitude of stars, 243 the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
9:7 “You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans. You changed his name to Abraham. 9:8 When you perceived that his heart was faithful toward you, you established a 244 covenant with him to give his descendants 245 the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites. You have fulfilled your promise, 246 for you are righteous.
9:9 “You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea. 247 9:10 You performed awesome signs 248 against Pharaoh, against his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that the Egyptians 249 had acted presumptuously 250 against them. You made for yourself a name that is celebrated to this day. 9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through 251 the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers 252 into the depths, like a stone into surging 253 waters. 9:12 You guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night to illumine for them the path they were to travel.
9:13 “You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven. You provided them with just judgments, true laws, and good statutes and commandments. 9:14 You made known to them your holy Sabbath; you issued commandments, statutes, and law to them through 254 Moses your servant. 9:15 You provided bread from heaven for them in their time of hunger, and you brought forth water from the rock for them in their time of thirst. You told them to enter in order to possess the land that you had sworn 255 to give them.
9:16 “But they – our ancestors 256 – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled 257 and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. 258 But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. 259 You did not abandon them, 9:18 even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up from Egypt,’ or when they committed atrocious 260 blasphemies.
9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, 261 nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel. 9:20 You imparted your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths; you provided water for their thirst. 9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you allocated them to every corner of the land. 262 They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon 263 and the land of King Og of Bashan. 9:23 You multiplied their descendants like the stars of the sky. You brought them to the land you had told their ancestors to enter in order to possess. 9:24 Their descendants 264 entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land. You delivered them into their hand, together with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with as they pleased. 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full 265 and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.
9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. 266 They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies. 9:27 Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who oppressed them. But in the time of their distress they called to you, and you heard from heaven. In your abundant compassion you provided them with deliverers to rescue them from 267 their adversaries.
9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to 268 their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again. 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, 269 will live. They boldly turned from you; 270 they rebelled 271 and did not obey. 9:30 You prolonged your kindness 272 with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, 273 so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. 274 9:31 However, due to your abundant mercy you did not do away with them altogether; you did not abandon them. For you are a merciful and compassionate God.
9:32 “So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity 275 – do not regard as inconsequential 276 all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. 277 It is we who have been in the wrong! 9:34 Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them. 9:35 Even when they were in their kingdom and benefiting from your incredible 278 goodness that you had lavished 279 on them in the spacious and fertile land you had set 280 before them, they did not serve you, nor did they turn from their evil practices.
9:36 “So today we are slaves! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy 281 its good things – we are slaves! 9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, 282 and we are in great distress!
9:38 (10:1) 283 “Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant 284 in written form; 285 our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names 286 on the sealed document.”
10:1 On the sealed documents were the following names: 287
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,
10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
10:9 The Levites were as follows:
Jeshua 288 son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.
10:10 Their colleagues 289 were as follows:
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
10:14 The leaders 290 of the people were as follows:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
10:26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
10:27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
10:28 “Now the rest of the people – the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple attendants, and all those who have separated themselves from the neighboring peoples 291 because of the law of God, along with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all of whom are able to understand – 10:29 hereby participate with their colleagues the town leaders 292 and enter into a curse and an oath 293 to adhere to 294 the law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey 295 carefully all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, 296 along with his ordinances and his statutes.
10:30 “We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons. 10:31 We will not buy 297 on the Sabbath or on a holy day from the neighboring peoples who bring their wares and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day. We will let the fields lie fallow every seventh year, and we will cancel every loan. 298 10:32 We accept responsibility for fulfilling 299 the commands to give 300 one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple 301 of our God, 10:33 for the loaves of presentation and for the regular grain offerings and regular burnt offerings, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the appointed meetings, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the temple of our God.
10:34 “We – the priests, the Levites, and the people – have cast lots concerning the wood offerings, to bring them to the temple of our God according to our families 302 at the designated times year by year to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as is written in the law. 10:35 We also accept responsibility for 303 bringing the first fruits of our land and the first fruits of every fruit tree year by year to the temple of the LORD. 10:36 We also accept responsibility, as is written in the law, for bringing the firstborn of our sons and our cattle and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks to the temple of our God, to the priests who are ministering in the temple of our God. 10:37 We will also bring the first of our coarse meal, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of new wine, and of olive oil to the priests at the storerooms of the temple of our God, along with a tenth of the produce 304 of our land to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. 305 10:38 A priest of Aaron’s line 306 will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes, and the Levites will bring up a tenth of the tithes to the temple of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 10:39 The Israelites and the Levites will bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils of the sanctuary are kept, and where the priests who minister stay, along with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the temple of our God.”
11:1 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, 307 while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine 308 remained in other cities. 11:2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
11:3 These are the provincial leaders 309 who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, 11:4 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)
Of the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah. 310 11:6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.
11:7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 11:8 and his followers, 311 Gabbai and Sallai – 928 in all. 11:9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.
11:10 From the priests:
Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 11:12 and their colleagues 312 who were carrying out work for the temple – 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families 313 – 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 and his colleagues 314 who were exceptional men – 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
11:15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders 315 of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 11:17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise 316 leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 11:18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.
11:19 And the gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates – 172.
11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
11:21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them. 317
11:22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 11:23 For they were under royal orders 318 which determined their activity day by day. 319
11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king 320 in every matter pertaining to the people.
11:25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages, 321 in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements, 11:26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 11:27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 11:28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 11:29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
11:31 Some of the descendants of 322 Benjamin settled in Geba, 323 Micmash, Aija, Bethel 324 and its villages, 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 11:33 in Hazor, 325 Ramah, and Gittaim, 11:34 in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat, 11:35 in Lod, Ono, and 326 the Valley of the Craftsmen. 327 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned 328 with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethon, 329 Abijah, 12:5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders 330 of the priests and their colleagues 331 in the days of Jeshua.
12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues 332 was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni, 333 their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services.
12:10 Jeshua was the father of 334 Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14 of Malluch, 335 Jonathan; of Shecaniah, 336 Joseph; 12:15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, 337 Helkai; 12:16 of Iddo, 338 Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and 339 of Moadiah, Piltai; 12:18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 12:19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20 of Sallu, 340 Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 12:21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
12:22 As for the Levites, 341 in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles 342 as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by 343 David the man of God.
12:25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. 12:26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe. 344
12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, 345 they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived 346 to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 12:28 The singers 347 were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed 348 on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 12:33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 12:35 some of the priests 349 with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani – with musical instruments of 350 David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.) 351 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
12:38 The second choir was proceeding 352 in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, 353 the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped 354 at the Gate of the Guard.
12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations 355 in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly 356 under the direction of Jezrahiah. 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from 357 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 358 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 359 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and 360 his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors 361 for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God. 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers, according to the daily need. 362 They also set aside 363 the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
[1:1] 1 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.
[1:1] 2 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nÿkhemyah) means “the
[1:1] 3 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
[1:2] 6 tn The Hebrew text does not include the words “to me”; these words were supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:2] 7 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:3] 9 tn Heb “have been burned with fire” (so also in Neh 2:17). The expression “burned with fire” is redundant in contemporary English; the translation uses “burned down” for stylistic reasons.
[1:4] 10 tn Heb “sat down.” Context suggests that this was a rather sudden action, resulting from the emotional shock of the unpleasant news, so “abruptly” has been supplied in the present translation.
[1:5] 11 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The phrase is a hendiadys: the first noun retains its full nominal sense, while the second noun functions adjectivally (“loyal love” = loving). Alternately, the first might function adjectivally and the second noun function as the noun: “covenant and loyal love” = covenant fidelity (see Neh 9:32).
[1:5] 12 tn Heb “keep.” The Hebrew verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to observe; to keep”) is often used as an idiom that means “to obey” the commandments of God (e.g., Exod 20:6; Deut 5:16; 23:24; 29:8; Judg 2:22; 1 Kgs 2:43; 11:11; Ps 119:8, 17, 34; Jer 35:18; Ezek 17:14; Amos 2:4). See BDB 1036 s.v. 3.c.
[1:6] 13 tn Heb “have sinned.” For stylistic reasons – to avoid redundancy in English – this was translated as “committed.”
[1:6] 14 tn Heb “the house of my father.”
[1:9] 17 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
[1:9] 18 tn Heb “at the end of the heavens.”
[1:11] 19 tn The interjection אָנָּא (’anna’) is an emphatic term of entreaty: “please!” (BDB 58 s.v.; HALOT 69-70 s.v.). This term is normally reserved for pleas for mercy from God in life-and-death situations (2 Kgs 20:3 = Isa 38:3; Pss 116:4; 118:25; Jonah 1:14; 4:2) and for forgiveness of heinous sins that would result or have resulted in severe judgment from God (Exod 32:31; Dan 9:4; Neh 1:5, 11).
[1:11] 20 tn Heb “let your ear be attentive.”
[1:11] 22 tn Heb “grant compassion.” The words “to me” are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style in English.
[1:11] 23 tn The vav (ו) on וַאֲנִי (va’ani, “Now, I”) introduces a disjunctive parenthetical clause that provides background information to the reader.
[2:1] 24 tc The translation reads with the LXX וְיַיִן לְפָנַי (vÿyayin lÿfanay, “and wine before me”) rather than יַיִן לְפָנָיו (yayin lÿfanayv, “wine before him”) of the MT. The initial vav (ו) on original וְיַיִן probably dropped out due to haplograpy or orthographic confusion with the two yods (י) which follow. The final vav on לְפָנָיו in the MT was probably added due to dittography with the vav on the immediately following word.
[2:1] 25 tc The translation reads לְפָנֵים (lÿfanim, “formerly”) rather than לְפָנָיו (lÿfanayv, “to his face”) of the MT. The MT seems to suggest that Nehemiah was not sad before the king, which is contrary to what follows.
[2:1] 26 tn Or “showed him a sullen face.” See HALOT 1251 s.v. רַע, רָע 9.
[2:1] 27 tn This expression is either to be inferred from the context, or perhaps one should read לְפָנָיו (lÿfanayv, “before him”; cf. the MT) in addition to לְפָנִים (lÿfanim, “formerly”). See preceding note on the word “previously.”
[2:3] 28 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 5).
[2:3] 29 tn Heb “devoured” or “eaten” (so also in Neh 2:13).
[2:5] 31 tn Heb “If upon the king it is good.” So also in v. 7.
[2:6] 32 tn Or “queen,” so most English versions (cf. HALOT 1415 s.v. שֵׁגַל); TEV “empress.”
[2:6] 33 tn Heb “It was good before the king and he sent me.”
[2:7] 34 tn Heb “across the river,” here and often elsewhere in the Book of Nehemiah.
[2:8] 35 tn Or “forest.” So HALOT 963 s.v. פַּרְדֵּס 2.
[2:8] 36 tc One medieval Hebrew
[2:8] 37 tn The Hebrew text does not include the expression “these requests,” but it is implied.
[2:10] 38 tn Heb “servant” (so KJV, ASV; NAB “slave”; NCV “officer.” This phrase also occurs in v. 19.
[2:11] 39 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:12] 40 tn Heb “the animal.”
[2:13] 41 tn Or “Well of the Serpents”; or “Well of the Jackals” (cf. ASV, NIV, NLT).
[2:13] 42 tn Or “Rubbish Gate” (so TEV); NASB “Refuse Gate”; NCV “Trash Gate”; CEV “Garbage Gate.”
[2:13] 43 tc For the MT reading שֹׂבֵר (sover, “inspecting”) the LXX erroneously has שֹׁבֵר (shover, “breaking”). However, further destruction of Jerusalem’s walls was obviously not a part of Nehemiah’s purpose.
[2:18] 44 tn Heb “the words of the king which he had spoken to me.”
[2:18] 45 tn Heb “Arise! Let us rebuild!”
[2:18] 46 tn Heb “strengthened their hands.”
[2:19] 47 tn The Hebrew text does not include the words “all this,” but they have been added in the translation for clarity.
[2:20] 48 tn Heb “will arise and build.” The idiom “arise and…” means to begin the action described by the second verb.
[2:20] 49 tn Heb “portion or right or remembrance.” The expression is probably a hendiatris: The first two nouns retain their full nominal function, while the third noun functions adjectivally (“right or remembrance” = “ancient right”).
[3:1] 50 tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”
[3:1] 51 tn Or “consecrated” (so NASB, NRSV); KJV, ASV “sanctified”; NCV “gave it to the Lord’s service.”
[3:1] 52 tc The MT adds קִדְּשׁוּהוּ (qidshuhu, “they sanctified it”). This term is repeated from the first part of the verse, probably as an intentional scribal addition to harmonize this statement with the preceding parallel statement.
[3:1] 53 tc The translation reads וְעַד (vÿ’ad, “and unto”) rather than the MT reading עַד (ad, “unto”). The original vav (ו) was probably dropped accidentally due to haplography with the final vav on the immediately preceding word in the MT.
[3:2] 54 map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[3:5] 56 tn Heb “their nobles.”
[3:5] 57 tn Heb “bring their neck.”
[3:5] 58 tn The plural form אֲדֹנֵיהֶם (’adonehem, “lords”) is probably a plural of majesty referring to Nehemiah (e.g., Isa 19:4; see GKC 399 §124.i). However, some English versions take the plural to refer to the “supervisors” (NIV, NCV, TEV) and others to “their Lord” (KJV, NRSV).
[3:6] 59 tn Or “the Old Gate” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT).
[3:7] 60 tn Heb “to the seat.”
[3:8] 61 tc Assuming that the MT reading וַיַּעַזְבוּ (vayya’azvu) is related to the root עָזַב I (“to abandon”) – which makes little sense contextually – some interpreters emend the MT to וַיַּעַזְרוּ (vayya’azru, “they aided”), as suggested by the editors of BHS. However, it is better to relate this term to the root II עָזַב meaning “to restore; to repair” (BDB 738 s.v. II עָזַב) or “to plaster” (HALOT 807 s.v. II עזב qal.1). This homonymic root is rare, appearing elsewhere only in Exod 23:5 and Job 9:27, where it means “to restore; to put in order” (HALOT 807-8 s.v. II עזב qal.2). The related Mishnaic Hebrew noun מעזיבה refers to a “plastered floor.” This Hebrew root is probably related to the cognate Ugaritic, Old South Arabic and Sabean verbs that mean “to restore” and “to prepare; to lay” (see BDB 738 s.v.; HALOT 807 s.v.). Some scholars in the nineteenth century suggested that this term be nuanced “paved.” However, most modern English versions have “restored” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “rebuilt” (so NCV, CEV).
[3:8] 62 tn Heb “[the city wall of] Jerusalem.” The term “Jerusalem” probably functions as a metonymy of association for the city wall of Jerusalem. Accordingly, the phrase “the city wall of” has been supplied in the translation to clarify this figurative expression.
[3:10] 63 tc The translation reads נֶגֶד (neged, “before”) with a few medieval Hebrew
[3:12] 64 tc The reference to daughters, while not impossible, is odd in light of the cultural improbability that young women would participate in the strenuous labor of rebuilding city walls. All other such references in the Book of Nehemiah presuppose male laborers. Not surprisingly, some scholars suspect a textual problem. One medieval Hebrew
[3:13] 65 tn Heb “one thousand cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about eighteen inches (45 cm) long, so this section of the wall would be about fifteen hundred feet (450 m).
[3:15] 66 tn The Hebrew word translated “Siloam” is הַשֶּׁלַח (hashelakh, “water-channel”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, CEV “Shelah”). It apparently refers to the Pool of Siloam whose water supply came from the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah’s Tunnel built in 701
[3:17] 67 tc The translation reads וְעַל (vÿ’al, “and unto”) with several medieval Hebrew
[3:18] 69 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
[3:21] 70 tn Heb “the house of Eliashib.” This has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[3:25] 71 tc The MT lacks the phrase אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק (’akharayv hekheziq, “after him worked”). This phrase is used repeatedly in Neh 3:16-31 to introduce each worker and his location. It probably dropped out accidentally through haplography.
[3:25] 72 tn Heb “house of the king.”
[3:26] 73 tc The Hebrew text lacks the verb “worked.” It is implied, however, and has been supplied in the translation.
[3:30] 74 tc The translation reads אַחֲרָיו (’akharayv, “after him”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[3:31] 75 tn Heb “Miphkad Gate” (so TEV; KJV similar); NRSV “Muster Gate.”
[4:1] 76 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:23 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:33 HT, 4:2 ET = 3:34 HT, 4:3 ET = 3:35 HT, 4:4 ET = 3:36 HT, 4:5 ET = 3:37 HT, 4:6 ET = 3:38 HT, 4:7 ET = 4:1 HT, etc., through 4:23 ET = 4:17 HT. Thus in the Hebrew Bible chap. 3 of the Book of Nehemiah has 38 verses, while chap. 4 has only 17 verses.
[4:2] 78 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[4:2] 79 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. The present translation follows the MT, but the text may be corrupt. H. G. M. Williamson (Ezra, Nehemiah [WBC], 213-14) translates these words as “Will they commit their cause to God?” suggesting that MT לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”) should be emended to לֵאלֹהִים (lelohim, “to God”), a proposal also found in the apparatus of BHS. In his view later scribes altered the phrase out of theological motivations. J. Blenkinsopp’s translation is similar: “Are they going to leave it all to God?” (Ezra–Nehemiah [OTL], 242-44). However, a problem for this view is the absence of external evidence to support the proposed emendation. The sense of the MT reading may be the notion that the workers – if left to their own limited resources – could not possibly see such a demanding and expensive project through to completion. This interpretation understands the collocation עָזַב (’azav, “to leave”) plus לְ (lÿ, “to”) to mean “commit a matter to someone,” with the sense in this verse “Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves?”
[4:5] 80 tn The Hiphil stem of כָּעַס (ka’as) may mean: (1) “to provoke to anger”; (2) “to bitterly offend”; or (3) “to grieve” (BDB 495 s.v. Hiph.; HALOT 491 s.v. כעס hif). The Hebrew lexicons suggest that “bitterly offend” is the most appropriate nuance here.
[4:5] 81 tn Heb “before the builders.” The preposition נֶגֶד (neged, “before”) here connotes “in the sight of” or “in the view of” (BDB 617 s.v. 1.a; HALOT 666 s.v. 1.a).
[4:6] 82 tn Heb “up to its half.”
[4:6] 83 tn Heb “the people had a heart to work.”
[4:7] 84 sn Chapter 4 begins here in the Hebrew text (BHS). See the note at 4:1.
[4:7] 85 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:9] 87 tn Heb “against them.” The words “to protect” are added in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness. Some emend MT עֲלֵיהֶם (’alehem, “against them”) to עָלֶיהָ (’aleha, “against it,” i.e., Jerusalem).
[4:10] 88 tn Heb “burden-bearers.”
[4:12] 92 tc The MT reads the anomalous מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת (mikkol hammÿqomot, “from every place”) but the BHS editors propose כָּל־הַמְּזִמּוֹת (kol hammÿzimmot, “about every scheme”). The initial mem (מ) found in the MT may have been added accidentally due to dittography with the final mem (ם) on the immediately preceding word, and the MT qof (ק) may have arisen due to orthographic confusion with the similar looking zayin (ז). The emendation restores sense to the line in the MT, which makes little sense and features an abrupt change of referents: “Wherever you turn, they will be upon us!” The threat was not against the villagers living nearby but against those repairing the wall, as the following context indicates. See also the following note on the word “plotting.”
[4:12] 93 tc The MT reads תָּשׁוּבוּ (tashuvu, “you turn”) which is awkward contextually. The BHS editors propose emending to חָשְׁבוּ (hashÿvu, “they were plotting”) which harmonizes well with the context. This emendation involves mere orthographic confusion between similar looking ח (khet) and ת (tav), and the resultant dittography of middle vav (ו) in MT. See also the preceding note on the word “schemes.”
[4:13] 94 tc The MT preserves the anomalous Kethib form צְחִחִיִּים (tsÿkhikhiyyim); the Qere reads צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) which is preferred (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ).
[4:14] 96 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[4:15] 98 tn Heb “it was known to us.”
[4:16] 99 tc The MT reads “and spears.” The conjunction should be deleted.
[4:16] 100 tn Heb “all the house.”
[4:17] 101 tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.
[4:17] 102 tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).
[4:18] 103 tn Heb “the one blowing the shophar.”
[4:21] 105 tn Heb “and we were doing the work.”
[4:21] 106 tn Heb “half of them.”
[4:21] 107 tn Heb “from the coming up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.”
[4:22] 108 tn Heb “said [to].”
[4:23] 109 tn Heb “strip off our garments.”
[4:23] 110 tc Heb “a man, his weapon, the waters.” The MT, if in fact it is correct, is elliptical and difficult. Some scholars emend the MT reading הַמָּיִם (hammayim, “the waters”) to בִּמִנוֹ (bimino, “in his right hand”; cf. NAB, NRSV) or מִינוּ(י)הֵ (heminu, “they held on the right side”).
[5:1] 111 tn Heb “their brothers the Jews.”
[5:2] 112 tn Heb “take” (so also in v. 3).
[5:4] 113 tn Heb “for the tax of the king.”
[5:5] 114 tn Heb “according to the flesh of our brothers is our flesh.”
[5:5] 115 tn Heb “like their children, our children.”
[5:5] 116 tn Heb “to become slaves” (also later in this verse).
[5:5] 117 tn Heb “there is not power for our hand.” The Hebrew expression used here is rather difficult.
[5:5] 118 sn The poor among the returned exiles were being exploited by their rich countrymen. Moneylenders were loaning large amounts of money, and not only collecting interest on loans which was illegal (Lev 25:36-37; Deut 23:19-20), but also seizing pledges as collateral (Neh 5:3) which was allowed (Deut 24:10). When the debtors missed a payment, the moneylenders would seize their collateral: their fields, vineyards and homes. With no other means of income, the debtors were forced to sell their children into slavery, a common practice at this time (Neh 5:5). Nehemiah himself was one of the moneylenders (Neh 5:10), but he insisted that seizure of collateral from fellow Jewish countrymen was ethically wrong (Neh 5:9).
[5:7] 120 tn Heb “my heart was advised upon me.”
[5:7] 122 tn Heb “taking a creditor’s debt.” The Hebrew noun מַשָּׁא (masha’) means “interest; debt” and probably refers to the collateral (pledge) collected by a creditor (HALOT 641-42 s.v.). This particular noun form appears only in Nehemiah (5:7, 10; 10:32); however, it is related to מַשָּׁאָה (masha’ah, “contractual loan; debt; collateral”) which appears elsewhere (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; cf. Neh 5:11). See the note on the word “people” at the end of v. 5. The BHS editors suggest emending the MT to מָשָׂא (masa’, “burden”), following several medieval Hebrew
[5:7] 123 tn Heb “his brothers.”
[5:8] 125 tn Heb “our brothers, the Jews.”
[5:8] 126 tn Heb “your brothers.”
[5:9] 127 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] 128 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] 129 tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”
[5:10] 132 tn Heb “this debt.” This expression is a metonymy of association: “debt” refers to the seizure of the collateral of the debt.
[5:11] 133 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.
[5:12] 134 tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:12] 135 tn Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:12] 136 tn Heb “according to this word.”
[5:13] 138 tn Heb “cause to stand.”
[5:13] 139 tn Heb “according to this word.”
[5:14] 140 tc The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי (tsuvve’ti, “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה (tsivvah ’oti, “he appointed me”).
[5:14] 141 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew
[5:14] 143 tn Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18.
[5:15] 144 tc The Hebrew term אַחַר (’akhar) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (’akhad) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”
[5:16] 145 tn Heb “we did not purchase.”
[5:17] 146 tn Heb “who were gathered around us at my table.”
[5:17] 147 tn Or “from the Gentiles.” The same Hebrew word can refer to “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” Cf. the phrase in 6:16.
[6:2] 148 tn It is not entirely clear whether the Hebrew word כְּפִירִים (kÿfirim) is a place-name not mentioned elsewhere in the OT (as indicated in the present translation; so also NAB, NASB) or whether it means “in [one of] the villages” (so, e.g., NIV, NRSV, NLT; see BDB 499 s.v.; HALOT 493 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it in the latter sense. Some scholars connect this term with the identically spelled word כּפירים (“lions”) as a figurative description of princes or warriors (e.g., Pss 34:11; 35:17; 58:7; Jer 2:15; Ezek 32:2, 13; Nah 2:14; see HALOT 493 s.v.): “let us meet together with the leaders in the plain of Ono.”
[6:3] 149 tn Heb “[am] doing.”
[6:4] 151 tn Heb “and I answered them according to this word.”
[6:6] 153 tn Heb “Gashmu”; in Neh 2:19 this name appears as Geshem. Since it is important for the modern reader to recognize that this is the same individual, the form of the name used here in the translation is the same as that in v. 19.
[6:6] 155 tn Heb “words.” So also in v. 7.
[6:7] 157 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:7] 158 tn Heb “Let us consult together.”
[6:8] 159 tn Heb “We are not according to these matters that you are saying.”
[6:8] 160 tn Heb “For from your heart you are inventing them.”
[6:9] 161 tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.
[6:9] 162 tn The statement “So now, strengthen my hands” is frequently understood as an implied prayer, but is taken differently by NAB (“But instead, I now redoubled my efforts”).
[6:10] 163 tn Heb “shut in.” The reason for his confinement is not stated. BDB 783 s.v. עָצַר suggests that it had to do with the fulfillment of a vow or was related to an issue of ceremonial uncleanness.
[6:11] 164 tn Heb “go into the temple and live.”
[6:12] 165 tn Heb “and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.”
[6:13] 166 tc The translation reads לִי (li, “to me”) rather than the MT reading לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”).
[6:13] 167 tn Heb “would have a bad name.”
[6:16] 168 tc The MT understands the root here to be יָרֵא (yare’, “to fear”) rather than רָאָה (ra’ah, “to see”).
[6:16] 169 tn Heb “they greatly fell [i.e., were cast down] in their own eyes.” Some scholars suggest emending the reading of the MT, וַיִּפְּלוּ (vayyipÿlu) to וַיִּפָּלֵא (vayyippale’, “it was very extraordinary in their eyes”).
[6:18] 170 tn Heb “were lords of oath.”
[6:19] 172 tn Or “to intimidate” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[7:2] 173 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[7:2] 174 tn Some have suggested that “Hananiah” is another name for Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, so that only one individual is mentioned here. However, the third person plural in v. 3 indicates two people are in view.
[7:3] 175 tc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere, a Qumran text, and the ancient versions וָאֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, which reads וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”).
[7:3] 176 tn Heb “until the heat of the sun.” The phrase probably means that the gates were to be opened only after the day had progressed a bit, not at the first sign of morning light (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV). It is possible, however, that the Hebrew preposition עַד (’ad), here translated as “until,” has a more rare sense of “during.” If so, this would mean that the gates were not to be left open and unattended during the hot part of the day when people typically would be at rest (cf. NLT).
[7:3] 177 tn Presumably this would mean the gates were not to be opened until later in the morning and were to remain open until evening. Some, however, have understood Nehemiah’s instructions to mean that the gates were not to be left open during the hottest part of the day, but must be shut and locked while the guards are still on duty. See J. Barr, “Hebrew עַד, especially at Job i.18 and Neh vii.3,” JJS 27 (1982): 177-88.
[7:4] 178 tn Heb “wide of two hands.”
[7:4] 179 tn Heb “the people were few in its midst.”
[7:5] 180 tn Heb “nobles”; NCV “important men.”
[7:5] 181 tn Heb “the book of genealogy.”
[7:5] 182 tn Heb “in it”; the referent (the genealogical record) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:6] 183 tn Heb “the sons of”; KJV, ASV “the children of”; NAB “the inhabitants of.”
[7:6] 184 tn Heb “who were going up.”
[7:6] 185 tc One medieval Hebrew manuscript has “to Babylon.” Cf. Ezra 2:1.
[7:7] 186 tn Heb “the men of the people of Israel.” Some English versions translate as “the people from Israel” (NCV) or “the Israelite people” (NRSV), but “men” should be retained because the following numbers presumably include only adult males.
[7:8] 187 tn Heb “the sons of.”
[7:11] 188 tn Heb “to the sons of.”
[7:26] 189 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[7:28] 190 tc The translation reads בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) rather than the MT reading בֵית אַנְשֵׁי (’anshey vet, “men of the house of”). Cf. Ezra 2:24.
[7:32] 191 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[7:39] 192 tn Heb “to the house of.”
[7:61] 194 tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
[7:61] 195 tn Heb “their seed.”
[7:64] 196 tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
[7:65] 197 tn The Hebrew term תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’; KJV “Tirshatha”) is the official title of a Persian governor in Judea. In meaning it may be similar to “excellency” (cf. NAB). See further BDB 1077 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395; HALOT 1798 s.v.
[7:69] 199 tc Most Hebrew
[7:70] 200 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[7:70] 201 tn Heb “darics” (also in vv. 71, 72).
[7:73] 202 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.” So also in vv. 14, 17; 9:1.
[7:73] 203 tn The traditional understanding of the chapter and verse division here is probably incorrect. The final part of v. 73 is best understood as belonging with 8:1.
[8:1] 204 tn Heb “like one man.”
[8:3] 206 tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”
[8:3] 207 tn Heb “all who could hear with understanding.” The word “children” is understood to be implied here by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, TEV, NLT).
[8:3] 208 tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”
[8:4] 209 tn Heb “a tower of wood.”
[8:5] 210 tn Heb “to the eyes.”
[8:5] 211 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the book) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:7] 212 tc The MT reads “and the Levites.” The conjunction (“and”) should be deleted, following the LXX, Aquila, and the Vulgate. That the vav (ו) of the MT is the vav explicativum (“even the Levites”) is unlikely here.
[8:8] 213 tn The exact meaning of the pual participle מְפֹרָשׁ (mÿforash) in this verse is uncertain. The basic sense of the Hebrew word seems to be “to make distinct.” The word may also have the sense of “to divide in parts,” “to interpret,” or “to translate.” The context of Neh 8:8 does not decisively clarify how the participle is to be understood here. It probably refers to the role of the Levites as those who explained or interpreted the portions of biblical text that had been publicly read on this occasion. A different option, however, is suggested by the translation distincte (“distinctly”) of the Vulgate (cf. KJV, ASV). If the Hebrew word means “distinctly” here, it would imply that the readers paid particular attention to such things as word-grouping and pronunciation so as to be sure that the listeners had every opportunity to understand the message that was being read. Yet another view is found in the Talmud, which understands translation of the Hebrew text into Aramaic to be what is in view here. The following explanation of Neh 8:8 is found in b. Megillah 3a: “‘And they read in the book, in the law of God’: this indicates the [Hebrew] text; ‘with an interpretation’: this indicates the targum; ‘and they gave the sense’: this indicates the verse stops; ‘and caused them to understand the reading’: this indicates the accentuation, or, according to another version, the Masoretic notes.” However, this ancient rabbinic view that the origins of the Targum are found in Neh 8:8 is debatable. It is not clear that the practice of paraphrasing the Hebrew biblical text into Aramaic in order to accommodate the needs of those Jews who were not at home in the Hebrew language developed this early. The translation of מְפֹרָשׁ adopted above (i.e., “explaining it”) understands the word to have in mind an explanatory function (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT) rather than one of translation.
[8:8] 214 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:9] 215 tc The unexpected reference to Nehemiah here has led some scholars to suspect that the phrase “Nehemiah the governor” is a later addition to the text and not original.
[8:9] 216 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
[8:9] 217 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[8:10] 218 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[8:12] 219 tn Heb “to send portions.”
[8:12] 220 tn The Hebrew text does not include the phrase “with others” but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:12] 221 tn Heb “to make great joy.”
[8:13] 222 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
[8:13] 223 tn Heb “were gathered to”; NAB, NIV “gathered around”; NRSV “came together to.”
[8:14] 224 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
[8:15] 226 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[8:16] 227 tn The words “these things” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:16] 228 tn Heb “the house.”
[8:17] 229 tn Heb “And there was very great joy.”
[8:18] 230 tn Heb “He”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:18] 231 tn Heb “the last day.”
[8:18] 232 tn Heb “on the eighth day an assembly.” The words “they held” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:18] 233 tn Heb “according to the judgment.”
[9:2] 234 tn Heb “the seed of Israel.”
[9:2] 235 tn Heb “sons of a foreigner.”
[9:2] 236 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 16, 23, 32, 34, 36).
[9:3] 237 tn Heb “confessing.” The words “their sins” are not present in the Hebrew text of v. 3, but are clearly implied here because they are explicitly stated in v. 2.
[9:4] 238 tc Heb “Bani.” The translation reads “Binnui” (so also NAB) rather than the MT reading “Bani.” Otherwise there are two individuals with the same name in this verse. The name “Binnui” appears, for example, in Neh 10:10.
[9:4] 239 tn Heb “in a great voice.”
[9:5] 240 tc The MT reads here only “from age to age,” without the preceding words “May you be blessed, O
[9:5] 241 tn Heb “the name of your glory.”
[9:6] 242 tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”
[9:6] 243 tn Heb “all their host.”
[9:8] 244 tn Heb “the” (so NAB).
[9:8] 246 tn Heb “your words.”
[9:9] 247 tn Heb “the Sea of Reeds.” Traditionally this is identified as the Red Sea, and the modern designation has been used in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 248 tn Heb “signs and wonders.” This phrase is a hendiadys. The second noun functions adjectivally, while the first noun retains its full nominal sense: “awesome signs” or “miraculous signs.”
[9:10] 249 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 250 tn Or “arrogantly” (so NASB); NRSV “insolently.”
[9:11] 251 tn Heb “in the midst of.”
[9:11] 252 tn Heb “those who pursued them.”
[9:14] 254 tn Heb “by the hand of.”
[9:15] 255 tn Heb “had lifted your hand.”
[9:16] 256 tn Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.
[9:16] 257 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).
[9:17] 258 tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew
[9:17] 259 tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.
[9:19] 261 tn Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”
[9:22] 262 tn The words “of the land” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:22] 263 tc Most Hebrew
[9:25] 265 tn Heb “they ate and were sated.” This expression is a hendiadys. The first verb retains its full verbal sense, while the second functions adverbially: “they ate and were filled” = “they ate until they were full.”
[9:26] 266 tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”
[9:27] 267 tn Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”
[9:28] 268 tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”
[9:29] 269 tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
[9:29] 270 tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”
[9:29] 271 tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”
[9:30] 272 tn The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:30] 273 tn Heb “did not give ear to.”
[9:30] 274 tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”
[9:32] 275 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. The second noun retains its full nominal sense, while the first functions adjectivally: “the covenant and loyalty” = covenant fidelity.
[9:32] 276 tn Heb “do not let it seem small in your sight.”
[9:33] 277 tn Heb “you have done truth.”
[9:35] 279 tn Heb “given them.”
[9:36] 281 tn The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:37] 282 tn Heb “according to their desire.”
[9:38] 283 sn Beginning with 9:38, the verse numbers through 10:39 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 9:38 ET = 10:1 HT, 10:1 ET = 10:2 HT, 10:2 ET = 10:3 HT, etc., through 10:39 ET = 10:40 HT. Beginning with 11:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same.
[9:38] 284 tn Heb “we are cutting.”
[9:38] 285 tn Heb “and writing.”
[9:38] 286 tn Heb “our leaders, our Levites, and our priests on the sealed document.” The Hebrew text is elliptical here; the words “have affixed their names” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. Cf. v. 2.
[10:1] 287 tn The words “were the following names” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 9, 10, 14.
[10:9] 288 tc With many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions the translation reads יְשׁוּעַ (yÿshua’, “Jeshua”) rather than the reading וְיֵשׁוּעַ (vÿyeshua’, “and Jeshua”) of BHS.
[10:10] 289 tn Heb “brothers” (also in v. 30).
[10:14] 290 tn Heb “heads”; ASV “chiefs.”
[10:28] 291 tn Heb “from the peoples of the lands.” Cf. vv. 30, 31.
[10:29] 292 tn Heb “the nobles.”
[10:29] 293 tn The expression “a curse and an oath” may be a hendiadys, meaning “an oath with penalties.”
[10:29] 294 tn Heb “to walk in.”
[10:29] 295 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
[10:29] 296 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[10:31] 298 tn Heb “debt of every hand,” an idiom referring to the hand that holds legally binding contractual agreements.
[10:32] 299 tn Heb “cause to stand on us.”
[10:32] 300 tc The MT reads “to give upon us.” However, the term עָלֵינוּ (’alenu, “upon us”) should probably be deleted, following a few medieval Hebrew
[10:32] 301 tn Heb “house” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39).
[10:34] 302 tn Heb “the house of our fathers.”
[10:35] 303 tn The words “we accept responsibility” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are inferred from v. 33 (so also in v. 37).
[10:37] 304 tn Heb “a tithe of our land.”
[10:37] 305 tn Heb “of our work.”
[10:38] 306 tn Heb “And the priest the son of Aaron.”
[11:1] 307 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:1] 308 tn Heb “nine of the hands.” The word “hand” is used here in the sense or a part or portion.
[11:3] 309 tn Heb “the heads of the province.”
[11:5] 310 tc The translation reads מִן־הַשֵּׁלָנִי (min hashelani, “from the Shelahite”) rather than the MT reading בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי (ben hashiloni, “the son of the Shilionite”). See 1 Chr 9:5.
[11:8] 311 tn Heb “those behind him.” Some scholars emend the text to וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “his brothers”).
[11:12] 312 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).
[11:13] 313 tn Heb “heads of fathers.”
[11:14] 314 tc The translation reads with the LXX וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brothers”) rather than the MT reading וַאֲחֵיהֶם (va’akhehem, “and their brothers”).
[11:16] 315 tn Heb “who were of the heads.”
[11:17] 316 tc The translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and Vulgate הַתְּהִלָה (hattÿhilah, “the praise”) rather than the MT reading הַתְּחִלָּה (hattÿkhillah, “the beginning”).
[11:21] 317 tn Heb “the temple attendants.” The pronoun “them” has been substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[11:23] 318 tn Heb “the commandment of the king was over them.”
[11:23] 319 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[11:24] 320 tn Heb “to the hand of the king.”
[11:25] 321 tn Heb “its daughters.” So also in vv. 27, 28, 30, and 31.
[11:31] 322 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
[11:31] 323 tc Heb “from Geba.” It is preferable to delete the preposition “from” read by the MT.
[11:31] 324 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[11:33] 325 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
[11:35] 326 tc The translation reads וְגֵי (vÿgey, “and the valley”) rather than the MT reading גֵּי (gey, “the valley”). The original vav (ו) probably dropped out accidentally due to haplography with the final vav on the immediately preceding word.
[11:35] 327 tn Heb “Ge-harashim,” which could be left untranslated as a place name.
[12:1] 328 tn Heb “who went up.”
[12:4] 329 tc Most Hebrew
[12:7] 330 tn Heb “heads” (so also in v. 12).
[12:7] 331 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 8, 9, 24, 36).
[12:8] 332 tn Heb “he and his brothers.”
[12:9] 333 tc The translation reads וְעֻנִּי (vÿ’unni) with the Qere rather than וְעֻנּוֹ (vÿ’uno) of the MT Kethib.
[12:14] 335 tc The present translation reads with the LXX לְמַלּוּךְ (lÿmallukh) rather than לִמְלוּכִי (limlukhi) of the Kethib (by dittography) or לִמְלִיכוּ (limlikhu) of the Qere.
[12:14] 336 tc Most Hebrew
[12:15] 337 tc The present translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and the Syriac Peshitta לִמְרֵמוֹת (limremot, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Meremoth”) rather than the MT reading לִמְרָיוֹת (limrayot, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Meraioth”). Cf. v. 3.
[12:16] 338 tc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere and the Syriac Peshitta לְעִדּוֹא (lÿ’iddo’, “Iddo”) rather than the MT reading לַעֲדָיָא (la’adaya’) which probably arose through graphic confusion. Cf. v. 4.
[12:17] 339 tn Or “of Miniamin, …; of Moadiah, Piltai,” where the name of the leader of the family of Miniamin has dropped out of the text due to a problem in transmission.
[12:20] 340 tc The present translation reads סַלּוּ (sallu, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Sallu”) rather than the MT reading סַלַּי (sallai, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Sallai” ). Cf. v. 7.
[12:22] 341 tn Some scholars delete these words, regarding them as a later scribal addition to the text.
[12:23] 342 tn Or “the Book of the Annals” (so NRSV); NLT “The Book of History.”
[12:24] 343 tn Heb “in [accord with] the commandment of.”
[12:26] 344 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
[12:27] 345 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:27] 346 tn Heb “from all their places.” The words “they lived” are implied.
[12:28] 347 tn Heb “the sons of the singers.”
[12:31] 348 tc The translation reads וְהָאַחַת הֹלֶכֶת (vÿha’akhat holekhet, “and one was proceeding”) rather than the MT reading וְתַהֲלֻכֹת (vÿtahalukhot, “and processions”).
[12:35] 349 tn Heb “some of the sons of the priests.”
[12:36] 350 tn Or “prescribed by” (NIV, NLT); TEV “of the kind played by.” The precise relationship of these musical instruments to David is not clear.
[12:36] 351 tn Heb “was before them.”
[12:38] 352 tc The translation reads הוֹלֶכֶת (holekhet, “was proceeding”) rather than the MT הַהוֹלֶכֶת (haholekhet, “the one proceeding”). The MT probably reflects dittography – accidental writing of ה (hey) twice instead of once.
[12:39] 353 tn Or “the Old Gate” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
[12:39] 354 tn Heb “they stood.”
[12:42] 356 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
[12:44] 357 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
[12:44] 358 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.
[12:44] 359 tn Heb “standing.”
[12:45] 360 tc With many medieval Hebrew
[12:46] 361 tn Heb “heads.” The translation reads with the Qere the plural רֹאשֵׁי (ro’shey, “heads”) rather than the Kethib singular רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) of the MT.
