Nehemiah 2:17

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.”

Nehemiah 5:7

5:7 I considered these things carefully ¹  and then registered a complaint with the wealthy ²  and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral ³  from your own countrymen!” ⁴  Because of them I called for ⁵  a great public assembly.

Nehemiah 5:12

5:12 They replied, “We will return these things, ⁶  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 ⁷  swear to do what had been promised. ⁸ 

Nehemiah 9:37

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, ⁹  and we are in great distress!

Nehemiah 13:18

13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors ¹⁰  acted, causing our God to bring on them and on this city all this misfortune? And now you are causing even more wrath on Israel, profaning the Sabbath like this!”

[5:7]  ¹ tn Heb “my heart was advised upon me.”

[5:7]  ² tn Heb “nobles.”

[5:7]  ³ 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 MSS; however, the result is not entirely clear: “you are bearing a burden, a man with his brothers.”

[5:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “his brothers.”

[5:7]  ⁵ tn Heb “I gave.”

[5:12]  ¹ tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:12]  ² 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]  ³ tn Heb “according to this word.”

[9:37]  ¹ tn Heb “according to their desire.”

[13:18]  ¹ tn Heb “your fathers.”