Nehemia 4:12-23
Konteks4:12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly 1 about all the schemes 2 they were plotting 3 against us.
4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. 4 I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 4:14 When I had made an inspection, 5 I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, 6 and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!” 7
4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, 8 God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 4:16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, 9 shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people 10 of Judah 4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. 11 Those who were carrying loads did so 12 by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 4:18 The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter 13 remained with me.
4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding 14 and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
4:21 So we worked on, 15 with half 16 holding spears, from dawn till dusk. 17 4:22 At that time I instructed 18 the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. 4:23 We did not change clothes 19 – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. 20
Nehemia 4:1-2
Konteks4:1 (3:33) 21 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, 4:2 and in the presence of his colleagues 22 and the army of Samaria 23 he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? 24 Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
Nehemia 4:1-23
Konteks4:1 (3:33) 25 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, 4:2 and in the presence of his colleagues 26 and the army of Samaria 27 he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? 28 Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4:4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! 4:5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended 29 the builders! 30
4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. 31 The people were enthusiastic in their work. 32
4:7 (4:1) 33 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem 34 had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. 4:8 All of them conspired together to move with armed forces 35 against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. 4:9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them 36 both day and night. 4:10 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers 37 has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”
4:11 Our adversaries also boasted, 38 “Before they are aware or anticipate 39 anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”
4:12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly 40 about all the schemes 41 they were plotting 42 against us.
4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. 43 I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 4:14 When I had made an inspection, 44 I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, 45 and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!” 46
4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, 47 God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 4:16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, 48 shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people 49 of Judah 4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. 50 Those who were carrying loads did so 51 by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 4:18 The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter 52 remained with me.
4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding 53 and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
4:21 So we worked on, 54 with half 55 holding spears, from dawn till dusk. 56 4:22 At that time I instructed 57 the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. 4:23 We did not change clothes 58 – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. 59
Nehemia 10:1--13:31
Konteks10:1 On the sealed documents were the following names: 60
Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, along with Zedekiah,
10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah,
10:3 Pashhur, Amariah, Malkijah,
10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch,
10:5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah,
10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch,
10:7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin,
10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, and Shemaiah. These were the priests.
10:9 The Levites were as follows:
Jeshua 61 son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel.
10:10 Their colleagues 62 were as follows:
Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,
10:11 Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah,
10:12 Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah,
10:13 Hodiah, Bani, and Beninu.
10:14 The leaders 63 of the people were as follows:
Parosh, Pahath-Moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani,
10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai,
10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin,
10:17 Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur,
10:18 Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,
10:19 Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai,
10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir,
10:21 Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua,
10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah,
10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub,
10:24 Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek,
10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
10:26 Ahiah, Hanan, Anan,
10:27 Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.
10:28 “Now the rest of the people – the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple attendants, and all those who have separated themselves from the neighboring peoples 64 because of the law of God, along with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all of whom are able to understand – 10:29 hereby participate with their colleagues the town leaders 65 and enter into a curse and an oath 66 to adhere to 67 the law of God which was given through Moses the servant of God, and to obey 68 carefully all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, 69 along with his ordinances and his statutes.
10:30 “We will not give our daughters in marriage to the neighboring peoples, and we will not take their daughters in marriage for our sons. 10:31 We will not buy 70 on the Sabbath or on a holy day from the neighboring peoples who bring their wares and all kinds of grain to sell on the Sabbath day. We will let the fields lie fallow every seventh year, and we will cancel every loan. 71 10:32 We accept responsibility for fulfilling 72 the commands to give 73 one third of a shekel each year for the work of the temple 74 of our God, 10:33 for the loaves of presentation and for the regular grain offerings and regular burnt offerings, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the appointed meetings, for the holy offerings, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the temple of our God.
10:34 “We – the priests, the Levites, and the people – have cast lots concerning the wood offerings, to bring them to the temple of our God according to our families 75 at the designated times year by year to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as is written in the law. 10:35 We also accept responsibility for 76 bringing the first fruits of our land and the first fruits of every fruit tree year by year to the temple of the LORD. 10:36 We also accept responsibility, as is written in the law, for bringing the firstborn of our sons and our cattle and the firstborn of our herds and of our flocks to the temple of our God, to the priests who are ministering in the temple of our God. 10:37 We will also bring the first of our coarse meal, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of new wine, and of olive oil to the priests at the storerooms of the temple of our God, along with a tenth of the produce 77 of our land to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work. 78 10:38 A priest of Aaron’s line 79 will be with the Levites when the Levites collect the tithes, and the Levites will bring up a tenth of the tithes to the temple of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury. 10:39 The Israelites and the Levites will bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils of the sanctuary are kept, and where the priests who minister stay, along with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the temple of our God.”
11:1 So the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, 80 while the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to settle in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine 81 remained in other cities. 11:2 The people gave their blessing on all the men who volunteered to settle in Jerusalem.
11:3 These are the provincial leaders 82 who settled in Jerusalem. (While other Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the temple attendants, and the sons of the servants of Solomon settled in the cities of Judah, each on his own property in their cities, 11:4 some of the descendants of Judah and some of the descendants of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.)
Of the descendants of Judah:
Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez; 11:5 and Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, from the descendants of Shelah. 83 11:6 The sum total of the descendants of Perez who were settling in Jerusalem was 468 exceptional men.
11:7 These are the descendants of Benjamin:
Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah, 11:8 and his followers, 84 Gabbai and Sallai – 928 in all. 11:9 Joel son of Zicri was the officer in charge of them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was second-in-command over the city.
11:10 From the priests:
Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jakin, 11:11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, supervisor in the temple of God, 11:12 and their colleagues 85 who were carrying out work for the temple – 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah, 11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families 86 – 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 and his colleagues 87 who were exceptional men – 128. The officer over them was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim.
11:15 From the Levites:
Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, leaders 88 of the Levites, were in charge of the external work for the temple of God; 11:17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the praise 89 leader who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his colleagues; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 11:18 The sum total of the Levites in the holy city was 284.
11:19 And the gatekeepers:
Akkub, Talmon and their colleagues who were guarding the gates – 172.
11:20 And the rest of the Israelites, with the priests and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, each on his own property.
11:21 The temple attendants were living on Ophel, and Ziha and Gishpa were over them. 90
11:22 The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. He was one of Asaph’s descendants who were the singers responsible for the service of the temple of God. 11:23 For they were under royal orders 91 which determined their activity day by day. 92
11:24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king 93 in every matter pertaining to the people.
11:25 As for the settlements with their fields, some of the people of Judah settled in Kiriath Arba and its neighboring villages, 94 in Dibon and its villages, in Jekabzeel and its settlements, 11:26 in Jeshua, in Moladah, in Beth Pelet, 11:27 in Hazar Shual, in Beer Sheba and its villages, 11:28 in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, 11:29 in En Rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah, Adullam and their settlements, in Lachish and its fields, and in Azekah and its villages. So they were encamped from Beer Sheba to the Valley of Hinnom.
11:31 Some of the descendants of 95 Benjamin settled in Geba, 96 Micmash, Aija, Bethel 97 and its villages, 11:32 in Anathoth, Nob, and Ananiah, 11:33 in Hazor, 98 Ramah, and Gittaim, 11:34 in Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat, 11:35 in Lod, Ono, and 99 the Valley of the Craftsmen. 100 11:36 Some of the Judean divisions of the Levites settled in Benjamin.
12:1 These are the priests and Levites who returned 101 with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4 Iddo, Ginnethon, 102 Abijah, 12:5 Mijamin, Moadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, and Jedaiah. These were the leaders 103 of the priests and their colleagues 104 in the days of Jeshua.
12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who together with his colleagues 105 was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. 12:9 Bakbukiah and Unni, 106 their colleagues, stood opposite them in the services.
12:10 Jeshua was the father of 107 Joiakim, Joiakim was the father of Eliashib, Eliashib was the father of Joiada, 12:11 Joiada was the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan was the father of Jaddua.
12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14 of Malluch, 108 Jonathan; of Shecaniah, 109 Joseph; 12:15 of Harim, Adna; of Meremoth, 110 Helkai; 12:16 of Iddo, 111 Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17 of Abijah, Zicri; of Miniamin and 112 of Moadiah, Piltai; 12:18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; 12:19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20 of Sallu, 113 Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 12:21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.
12:22 As for the Levites, 114 in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan and Jaddua the heads of families were recorded, as were the priests during the reign of Darius the Persian. 12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles 115 as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. 12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by 116 David the man of God.
12:25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers who were guarding the storerooms at the gates. 12:26 These all served in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priestly scribe. 117
12:27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, 118 they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived 119 to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres. 12:28 The singers 120 were also assembled from the district around Jerusalem and from the settlements of the Netophathites 12:29 and from Beth Gilgal and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built settlements for themselves around Jerusalem. 12:30 When the priests and Levites had purified themselves, they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
12:31 I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed 121 on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate. 12:32 Going after them were Hoshaiah, half the leaders of Judah, 12:33 Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, 12:35 some of the priests 122 with trumpets, Zechariah son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, 12:36 and his colleagues – Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani – with musical instruments of 123 David the man of God. (Ezra the scribe led them.) 124 12:37 They went over the Fountain Gate and continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall. They passed the house of David and continued on to the Water Gate toward the east.
12:38 The second choir was proceeding 125 in the opposite direction. I followed them, along with half the people, on top of the wall, past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall, 12:39 over the Ephraim Gate, the Jeshanah Gate, 126 the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate. They stopped 127 at the Gate of the Guard.
12:40 Then the two choirs that gave thanks took their stations 128 in the temple of God. I did also, along with half the officials with me, 12:41 and the priests – Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with their trumpets – 12:42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam, and Ezer. The choirs sang loudly 129 under the direction of Jezrahiah. 12:43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard from far away.
12:44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from 130 the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah 131 took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering. 132 12:45 They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, according to the commandment of David and 133 his son Solomon. 12:46 For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there had been directors 134 for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanks to God. 12:47 So in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah, all Israel was contributing the portions for the singers and gatekeepers, according to the daily need. 135 They also set aside 136 the portion for the Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
13:1 On that day the book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing 137 of the people. They found 138 written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite may ever enter the assembly of God, 13:2 for they had not met the Israelites with food 139 and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.) 13:3 When they heard the law, they removed from Israel all who were of mixed ancestry.
13:4 But prior to this time, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been appointed over the storerooms 140 of the temple of our God. 13:5 He made for himself a large storeroom where previously they had been keeping 141 the grain offering, the incense, and the vessels, along with the tithes of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil as commanded for the Levites, the singers, the gate keepers, and the offering for the priests.
13:6 During all this time I was not in Jerusalem, 142 for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I had gone back to the king. After some time 143 I had requested leave of the king, 13:7 and I returned to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah by supplying him with a storeroom in the courts of the temple of God. 13:8 I was very upset, and I threw all of Tobiah’s household possessions out of the storeroom. 13:9 Then I gave instructions that the storerooms should be purified, and I brought back the equipment 144 of the temple of God, along with the grain offering and the incense.
13:10 I also discovered that the grain offerings for the Levites had not been provided, and that as a result the Levites and the singers who performed this work had all gone off to their fields. 13:11 So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions. 145
13:12 Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms. 13:13 I gave instructions 146 that Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a certain Levite named Pedaiah be put in charge of 147 the storerooms, and that Hanan son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah, be their assistant, 148 for they were regarded as trustworthy. It was then their responsibility to oversee the distribution to their colleagues. 149
13:14 Please remember me for this, O my God, and do not wipe out the kindness that I have done for the temple of my God and for its services!
13:15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in heaps of grain and loading them onto donkeys, along with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, and bringing them to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them on the day that they sold these provisions. 13:16 The people from Tyre 150 who lived there were bringing fish and all kinds of merchandise and were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah – and in Jerusalem, of all places! 151 13:17 So I registered a complaint with the nobles of Judah, saying to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day? 13:18 Isn’t this the way your ancestors 152 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!”
13:19 When the evening shadows 153 began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered 154 the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned 155 some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. 13:20 The traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. 13:21 But I warned them and said, 156 “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” 157 From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. 158 13:22 Then I directed the Levites to purify themselves and come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.
For this please remember me, O my God, and have pity on me in keeping with your great love.
13:23 Also in those days I saw the men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 13:24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned 159 ) and were unable to speak the language of Judah. 13:25 So I entered a complaint with them. I called down a curse on them, and I struck some of the men and pulled out their hair. I had them swear by God saying, “You will not marry off 160 your daughters to their sons, and you will not take any of their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! 13:26 Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made 161 him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin! 13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying 162 foreign wives?”
13:28 Now one of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. So I banished him from my sight.
13:29 Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, 163 and the Levites.
13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific 164 duties to the priests and the Levites. 13:31 I also provided for 165 the wood offering at the appointed times and also for the first fruits.
Please remember me for good, O my God.
[4:12] 2 tc The MT reads the anomalous מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת (mikkol hammÿqomot, “from every place”) but the BHS editors propose כָּל־הַמְּזִמּוֹת (kol hammÿzimmot, “about every scheme”). The initial mem (מ) found in the MT may have been added accidentally due to dittography with the final mem (ם) on the immediately preceding word, and the MT qof (ק) may have arisen due to orthographic confusion with the similar looking zayin (ז). The emendation restores sense to the line in the MT, which makes little sense and features an abrupt change of referents: “Wherever you turn, they will be upon us!” The threat was not against the villagers living nearby but against those repairing the wall, as the following context indicates. See also the following note on the word “plotting.”
[4:12] 3 tc The MT reads תָּשׁוּבוּ (tashuvu, “you turn”) which is awkward contextually. The BHS editors propose emending to חָשְׁבוּ (hashÿvu, “they were plotting”) which harmonizes well with the context. This emendation involves mere orthographic confusion between similar looking ח (khet) and ת (tav), and the resultant dittography of middle vav (ו) in MT. See also the preceding note on the word “schemes.”
[4:13] 4 tc The MT preserves the anomalous Kethib form צְחִחִיִּים (tsÿkhikhiyyim); the Qere reads צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) which is preferred (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ).
[4:13] tn The meaning of the Hebrew term צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) here is uncertain. Elsewhere (Ezek 24:7, 8; 26:4, 14) it refers to a shining or glaring surface of a rock (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ), but here it refers to an exposed or vulnerable portion of the wall: “open positions of the wall” (HALOT 1018 s.v. 2).
[4:14] 6 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[4:15] 8 tn Heb “it was known to us.”
[4:16] 9 tc The MT reads “and spears.” The conjunction should be deleted.
[4:16] 10 tn Heb “all the house.”
[4:17] 11 tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.
[4:17] 12 tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).
[4:18] 13 tn Heb “the one blowing the shophar.”
[4:21] 15 tn Heb “and we were doing the work.”
[4:21] 16 tn Heb “half of them.”
[4:21] 17 tn Heb “from the coming up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.”
[4:23] 19 tn Heb “strip off our garments.”
[4:23] 20 tc Heb “a man, his weapon, the waters.” The MT, if in fact it is correct, is elliptical and difficult. Some scholars emend the MT reading הַמָּיִם (hammayim, “the waters”) to בִּמִנוֹ (bimino, “in his right hand”; cf. NAB, NRSV) or מִינוּ(י)הֵ (heminu, “they held on the right side”).
[4:1] 21 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:23 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:33 HT, 4:2 ET = 3:34 HT, 4:3 ET = 3:35 HT, 4:4 ET = 3:36 HT, 4:5 ET = 3:37 HT, 4:6 ET = 3:38 HT, 4:7 ET = 4:1 HT, etc., through 4:23 ET = 4:17 HT. Thus in the Hebrew Bible chap. 3 of the Book of Nehemiah has 38 verses, while chap. 4 has only 17 verses.
[4:2] 23 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[4:2] 24 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. The present translation follows the MT, but the text may be corrupt. H. G. M. Williamson (Ezra, Nehemiah [WBC], 213-14) translates these words as “Will they commit their cause to God?” suggesting that MT לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”) should be emended to לֵאלֹהִים (lelohim, “to God”), a proposal also found in the apparatus of BHS. In his view later scribes altered the phrase out of theological motivations. J. Blenkinsopp’s translation is similar: “Are they going to leave it all to God?” (Ezra–Nehemiah [OTL], 242-44). However, a problem for this view is the absence of external evidence to support the proposed emendation. The sense of the MT reading may be the notion that the workers – if left to their own limited resources – could not possibly see such a demanding and expensive project through to completion. This interpretation understands the collocation עָזַב (’azav, “to leave”) plus לְ (lÿ, “to”) to mean “commit a matter to someone,” with the sense in this verse “Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves?”
[4:1] 25 sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:23 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:33 HT, 4:2 ET = 3:34 HT, 4:3 ET = 3:35 HT, 4:4 ET = 3:36 HT, 4:5 ET = 3:37 HT, 4:6 ET = 3:38 HT, 4:7 ET = 4:1 HT, etc., through 4:23 ET = 4:17 HT. Thus in the Hebrew Bible chap. 3 of the Book of Nehemiah has 38 verses, while chap. 4 has only 17 verses.
[4:2] 27 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[4:2] 28 tc The Hebrew text is difficult here. The present translation follows the MT, but the text may be corrupt. H. G. M. Williamson (Ezra, Nehemiah [WBC], 213-14) translates these words as “Will they commit their cause to God?” suggesting that MT לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”) should be emended to לֵאלֹהִים (lelohim, “to God”), a proposal also found in the apparatus of BHS. In his view later scribes altered the phrase out of theological motivations. J. Blenkinsopp’s translation is similar: “Are they going to leave it all to God?” (Ezra–Nehemiah [OTL], 242-44). However, a problem for this view is the absence of external evidence to support the proposed emendation. The sense of the MT reading may be the notion that the workers – if left to their own limited resources – could not possibly see such a demanding and expensive project through to completion. This interpretation understands the collocation עָזַב (’azav, “to leave”) plus לְ (lÿ, “to”) to mean “commit a matter to someone,” with the sense in this verse “Will they leave the building of the fortified walls to themselves?”
[4:5] 29 tn The Hiphil stem of כָּעַס (ka’as) may mean: (1) “to provoke to anger”; (2) “to bitterly offend”; or (3) “to grieve” (BDB 495 s.v. Hiph.; HALOT 491 s.v. כעס hif). The Hebrew lexicons suggest that “bitterly offend” is the most appropriate nuance here.
[4:5] 30 tn Heb “before the builders.” The preposition נֶגֶד (neged, “before”) here connotes “in the sight of” or “in the view of” (BDB 617 s.v. 1.a; HALOT 666 s.v. 1.a).
[4:6] 31 tn Heb “up to its half.”
[4:6] 32 tn Heb “the people had a heart to work.”
[4:7] 33 sn Chapter 4 begins here in the Hebrew text (BHS). See the note at 4:1.
[4:7] 34 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:9] 36 tn Heb “against them.” The words “to protect” are added in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness. Some emend MT עֲלֵיהֶם (’alehem, “against them”) to עָלֶיהָ (’aleha, “against it,” i.e., Jerusalem).
[4:10] 37 tn Heb “burden-bearers.”
[4:12] 41 tc The MT reads the anomalous מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת (mikkol hammÿqomot, “from every place”) but the BHS editors propose כָּל־הַמְּזִמּוֹת (kol hammÿzimmot, “about every scheme”). The initial mem (מ) found in the MT may have been added accidentally due to dittography with the final mem (ם) on the immediately preceding word, and the MT qof (ק) may have arisen due to orthographic confusion with the similar looking zayin (ז). The emendation restores sense to the line in the MT, which makes little sense and features an abrupt change of referents: “Wherever you turn, they will be upon us!” The threat was not against the villagers living nearby but against those repairing the wall, as the following context indicates. See also the following note on the word “plotting.”
[4:12] 42 tc The MT reads תָּשׁוּבוּ (tashuvu, “you turn”) which is awkward contextually. The BHS editors propose emending to חָשְׁבוּ (hashÿvu, “they were plotting”) which harmonizes well with the context. This emendation involves mere orthographic confusion between similar looking ח (khet) and ת (tav), and the resultant dittography of middle vav (ו) in MT. See also the preceding note on the word “schemes.”
[4:13] 43 tc The MT preserves the anomalous Kethib form צְחִחִיִּים (tsÿkhikhiyyim); the Qere reads צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) which is preferred (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ).
[4:13] tn The meaning of the Hebrew term צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) here is uncertain. Elsewhere (Ezek 24:7, 8; 26:4, 14) it refers to a shining or glaring surface of a rock (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ), but here it refers to an exposed or vulnerable portion of the wall: “open positions of the wall” (HALOT 1018 s.v. 2).
[4:14] 45 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[4:15] 47 tn Heb “it was known to us.”
[4:16] 48 tc The MT reads “and spears.” The conjunction should be deleted.
[4:16] 49 tn Heb “all the house.”
[4:17] 50 tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.
[4:17] 51 tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).
[4:18] 52 tn Heb “the one blowing the shophar.”
[4:21] 54 tn Heb “and we were doing the work.”
[4:21] 55 tn Heb “half of them.”
[4:21] 56 tn Heb “from the coming up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.”
[4:23] 58 tn Heb “strip off our garments.”
[4:23] 59 tc Heb “a man, his weapon, the waters.” The MT, if in fact it is correct, is elliptical and difficult. Some scholars emend the MT reading הַמָּיִם (hammayim, “the waters”) to בִּמִנוֹ (bimino, “in his right hand”; cf. NAB, NRSV) or מִינוּ(י)הֵ (heminu, “they held on the right side”).
[10:1] 60 tn The words “were the following names” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 9, 10, 14.
[10:9] 61 tc With many medieval Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions the translation reads יְשׁוּעַ (yÿshua’, “Jeshua”) rather than the reading וְיֵשׁוּעַ (vÿyeshua’, “and Jeshua”) of BHS.
[10:10] 62 tn Heb “brothers” (also in v. 30).
[10:14] 63 tn Heb “heads”; ASV “chiefs.”
[10:28] 64 tn Heb “from the peoples of the lands.” Cf. vv. 30, 31.
[10:29] 65 tn Heb “the nobles.”
[10:29] 66 tn The expression “a curse and an oath” may be a hendiadys, meaning “an oath with penalties.”
[10:29] 67 tn Heb “to walk in.”
[10:29] 68 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
[10:29] 69 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
[10:31] 71 tn Heb “debt of every hand,” an idiom referring to the hand that holds legally binding contractual agreements.
[10:32] 72 tn Heb “cause to stand on us.”
[10:32] 73 tc The MT reads “to give upon us.” However, the term עָלֵינוּ (’alenu, “upon us”) should probably be deleted, following a few medieval Hebrew
[10:32] 74 tn Heb “house” (also in vv. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39).
[10:34] 75 tn Heb “the house of our fathers.”
[10:35] 76 tn The words “we accept responsibility” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are inferred from v. 33 (so also in v. 37).
[10:37] 77 tn Heb “a tithe of our land.”
[10:37] 78 tn Heb “of our work.”
[10:38] 79 tn Heb “And the priest the son of Aaron.”
[11:1] 80 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[11:1] 81 tn Heb “nine of the hands.” The word “hand” is used here in the sense or a part or portion.
[11:3] 82 tn Heb “the heads of the province.”
[11:5] 83 tc The translation reads מִן־הַשֵּׁלָנִי (min hashelani, “from the Shelahite”) rather than the MT reading בֶּן־הַשִּׁלֹנִי (ben hashiloni, “the son of the Shilionite”). See 1 Chr 9:5.
[11:8] 84 tn Heb “those behind him.” Some scholars emend the text to וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “his brothers”).
[11:12] 85 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).
[11:13] 86 tn Heb “heads of fathers.”
[11:14] 87 tc The translation reads with the LXX וְאֶחָיו (vÿ’ekhayv, “and his brothers”) rather than the MT reading וַאֲחֵיהֶם (va’akhehem, “and their brothers”).
[11:16] 88 tn Heb “who were of the heads.”
[11:17] 89 tc The translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and Vulgate הַתְּהִלָה (hattÿhilah, “the praise”) rather than the MT reading הַתְּחִלָּה (hattÿkhillah, “the beginning”).
[11:21] 90 tn Heb “the temple attendants.” The pronoun “them” has been substituted in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[11:23] 91 tn Heb “the commandment of the king was over them.”
[11:23] 92 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[11:24] 93 tn Heb “to the hand of the king.”
[11:25] 94 tn Heb “its daughters.” So also in vv. 27, 28, 30, and 31.
[11:31] 95 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew
[11:31] 96 tc Heb “from Geba.” It is preferable to delete the preposition “from” read by the MT.
[11:31] 97 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[11:33] 98 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.
[11:35] 99 tc The translation reads וְגֵי (vÿgey, “and the valley”) rather than the MT reading גֵּי (gey, “the valley”). The original vav (ו) probably dropped out accidentally due to haplography with the final vav on the immediately preceding word.
[11:35] 100 tn Heb “Ge-harashim,” which could be left untranslated as a place name.
[12:1] 101 tn Heb “who went up.”
[12:4] 102 tc Most Hebrew
[12:7] 103 tn Heb “heads” (so also in v. 12).
[12:7] 104 tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 8, 9, 24, 36).
[12:8] 105 tn Heb “he and his brothers.”
[12:9] 106 tc The translation reads וְעֻנִּי (vÿ’unni) with the Qere rather than וְעֻנּוֹ (vÿ’uno) of the MT Kethib.
[12:14] 108 tc The present translation reads with the LXX לְמַלּוּךְ (lÿmallukh) rather than לִמְלוּכִי (limlukhi) of the Kethib (by dittography) or לִמְלִיכוּ (limlikhu) of the Qere.
[12:14] 109 tc Most Hebrew
[12:15] 110 tc The present translation reads with the Lucianic Greek recension and the Syriac Peshitta לִמְרֵמוֹת (limremot, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Meremoth”) rather than the MT reading לִמְרָיוֹת (limrayot, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Meraioth”). Cf. v. 3.
[12:16] 111 tc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere and the Syriac Peshitta לְעִדּוֹא (lÿ’iddo’, “Iddo”) rather than the MT reading לַעֲדָיָא (la’adaya’) which probably arose through graphic confusion. Cf. v. 4.
[12:17] 112 tn Or “of Miniamin, …; of Moadiah, Piltai,” where the name of the leader of the family of Miniamin has dropped out of the text due to a problem in transmission.
[12:20] 113 tc The present translation reads סַלּוּ (sallu, cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT “Sallu”) rather than the MT reading סַלַּי (sallai, cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV, CEV “Sallai” ). Cf. v. 7.
[12:22] 114 tn Some scholars delete these words, regarding them as a later scribal addition to the text.
[12:23] 115 tn Or “the Book of the Annals” (so NRSV); NLT “The Book of History.”
[12:24] 116 tn Heb “in [accord with] the commandment of.”
[12:26] 117 tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”
[12:27] 118 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[12:27] 119 tn Heb “from all their places.” The words “they lived” are implied.
[12:28] 120 tn Heb “the sons of the singers.”
[12:31] 121 tc The translation reads וְהָאַחַת הֹלֶכֶת (vÿha’akhat holekhet, “and one was proceeding”) rather than the MT reading וְתַהֲלֻכֹת (vÿtahalukhot, “and processions”).
[12:35] 122 tn Heb “some of the sons of the priests.”
[12:36] 123 tn Or “prescribed by” (NIV, NLT); TEV “of the kind played by.” The precise relationship of these musical instruments to David is not clear.
[12:36] 124 tn Heb “was before them.”
[12:38] 125 tc The translation reads הוֹלֶכֶת (holekhet, “was proceeding”) rather than the MT הַהוֹלֶכֶת (haholekhet, “the one proceeding”). The MT probably reflects dittography – accidental writing of ה (hey) twice instead of once.
[12:39] 126 tn Or “the Old Gate” (so KJV, NASB, NCV, NRSV).
[12:39] 127 tn Heb “they stood.”
[12:42] 129 tn Heb “caused to hear.”
[12:44] 130 tc The translation reads מִשְּׂדֶי (missÿde, “from the fields”) rather than the MT reading לִשְׂדֵי (lisdey, “to the fields”).
[12:44] 131 tn Heb “for Judah.” The words “the people of” have been supplied in the translation for clarity, since “Judah” is a proper name as well as a place name.
[12:44] 132 tn Heb “standing.”
[12:45] 133 tc With many medieval Hebrew
[12:46] 134 tn Heb “heads.” The translation reads with the Qere the plural רֹאשֵׁי (ro’shey, “heads”) rather than the Kethib singular רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head”) of the MT.
[12:47] 135 tn Heb “a thing of a day in its day.”
[12:47] 136 tn Heb “were sanctifying.”
[13:1] 138 tn Heb “it was found.” The Hebrew verb is passive.
[13:2] 139 tn Heb “bread.” The Hebrew term is generic here, however, referring to more than bread alone.
[13:4] 140 tc The translation reads the plural rather than the singular of the MT.
[13:6] 142 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[13:6] 143 tn Heb “to the end of days.”
[13:9] 144 tn On the usage of this Hebrew word see HALOT 478-79 s.v. כְּלִי.
[13:11] 145 tn Heb “and I stood them on their standing.”
[13:13] 146 tc Probably one should read with the Lucianic Greek recension, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate וָאֲצַוֶּה (va’atsavveh, “and I commanded”) rather than the rare denominative verb וָאוֹצְרָה (va’otsÿrah, “and I appointed over the storeroom”) of the MT.
[13:13] 148 tn Heb “on their hand.”
[13:13] 149 tn Heb “brothers.”
[13:16] 150 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[13:16] 151 tn The words “of all places” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to indicate the emphasis on Jerusalem.
[13:18] 152 tn Heb “your fathers.”
[13:19] 153 tn Heb “the gates of Jerusalem grew dark.”
[13:19] 154 tn Heb “said” (so also in v. 22).
[13:19] 155 tn Heb “caused to stand.”
[13:21] 156 tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.
[13:21] 157 tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”
[13:21] 158 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.
[13:24] 159 tn Heb “people and people.”
[13:27] 162 tn Heb “give a dwelling to.”
[13:29] 163 tc One medieval Hebrew
[13:30] 164 tn Heb “a man in his work.”
[13:31] 165 tn The words “I also provided for” are not included in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
