Nehemiah 3:8

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 ¹  the city wall of Jerusalem ²  as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemiah 4:15

4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, ³  God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.

Nehemiah 4:19

4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding ⁴  and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another.

Nehemiah 6:1

Opposition to the Rebuilding Efforts Continues

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),

Nehemiah 6:6

6:6 Written in it were the following words:

“Among the nations it is rumored ⁵  (and Geshem ⁶  has substantiated ⁷  this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors ⁸  you are going to become their king.

Nehemiah 13:21

13:21 But I warned them and said, ⁹  “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” ¹⁰  From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. ¹¹ 

[3:8]  ¹ 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]  ² 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.

[4:15]  ³ tn Heb “it was known to us.”

[4:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “much.”

[6:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “heard.”

[6:6]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “is saying.”

[6:6]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “words.” So also in v. 7.

[13:21]  ⁹ tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:21]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”

[13:21]  ¹¹ sn This statement contains a great deal of restrained humor. The author clearly takes pleasure in the effectiveness of the measures that he had enacted.