Nehemia 1:11
Konteks1:11 Please, 1 O Lord, listen attentively 2 to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect 3 to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me 4 in the presence of this man.”
Now 5 I was cupbearer for the king.
Nehemia 8:9-10
Konteks8:9 Then Nehemiah the governor, 6 Ezra the priestly scribe, 7 and the Levites who were imparting understanding to the people said to all of them, 8 “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. 9 Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
[1:11] 1 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] 2 tn Heb “let your ear be attentive.”
[1:11] 4 tn Heb “grant compassion.” The words “to me” are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style in English.
[1:11] 5 tn The vav (ו) on וַאֲנִי (va’ani, “Now, I”) introduces a disjunctive parenthetical clause that provides background information to the reader.
[8:9] 6 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] 7 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
[8:9] 8 tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
[8:10] 9 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).