Nehemiah 2:7

2:7 I said to the king, “If the king is so inclined, let him give me letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates ¹  that will enable me to travel safely until I reach Judah,

Nehemiah 5:15

5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to ²  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.

[2:7]  ¹ tn Heb “across the river,” here and often elsewhere in the Book of Nehemiah.

[5:15]  ² 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.”