Nehemiah 9:6

9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, ¹  along with all their multitude of stars, ²  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.

Nehemiah 2:4

2:4 The king responded, ³  “What is it you are seeking?” Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven

Nehemiah 9:23

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.

Nehemiah 1:4-5

1:4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, ⁴  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 ⁵  with those who love him and obey ⁶  his commandments,

Nehemiah 1:9

1:9 But if you repent ⁷  and obey ⁸  my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, ⁹  I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’

Nehemiah 2:20

2:20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. ¹⁰  But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” ¹¹ 

[9:6]  ¹ tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”

[9:6]  ² tn Heb “all their host.”

[2:4]  ³ tn Heb “said to me.”

[1:4]  ⁵ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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.

[1:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “turn to me.”

[1:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.

[1:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “at the end of the heavens.”

[2:20]  ¹¹ tn Heb “will arise and build.” The idiom “arise and…” means to begin the action described by the second verb.

[2:20]  ¹² 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”).