Nehemia 1:9

1:9 But if you repent ¹  and obey ²  my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, ³  I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’

Nehemia 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 ⁴  that will enable me to travel safely until I reach Judah,

Nehemia 2:16-17

2:16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had been doing, for up to this point I had not told any of the Jews or the priests or the nobles or the officials or the rest of the workers. 2:17 Then I said to them, “You see the problem that we have: Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue.”

Nehemia 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 ⁵  the city wall of Jerusalem ⁶  as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemia 3:15-16

3:15 Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, head of the district of Mizpah, worked on the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, put on its roof, and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. In addition, he rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam, ⁷  by the royal garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David. 3:16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk, head of a half-district of Beth Zur, worked after him as far as the tombs of David and the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors.

Nehemia 4:6

4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. ⁸  The people were enthusiastic in their work. ⁹ 

Nehemia 4:10-11

4:10 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers ¹⁰  has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”

4:11 Our adversaries also boasted, ¹¹  “Before they are aware or anticipate ¹²  anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”

Nehemia 4:17

4:17 who were rebuilding the wall. ¹³  Those who were carrying loads did so ¹⁴  by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon.

Nehemia 4:19

4:19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding ¹⁵  and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another.

Nehemia 4:21

4:21 So we worked on, ¹⁶  with half ¹⁷  holding spears, from dawn till dusk. ¹⁸ 

Nehemia 5:14

5:14 From the day that I was appointed ¹⁹  governor ²⁰  in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes – twelve years in all – neither I nor my relatives ²¹  ate the food allotted to the governor. ²² 

Nehemia 5:18

5:18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.

Nehemia 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),

Nehemia 6:3

6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in ²³  an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?”

Nehemia 6:9

6:9 All of them were wanting ²⁴  to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands! ²⁵ 

Nehemia 6:13

6:13 He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I ²⁶  would be discredited. ²⁷ 

Nehemia 7:5

7:5 My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders, ²⁸  the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records ²⁹  of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record: ³⁰ 

Nehemia 7:65

7:65 The governor ³¹  instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult ³²  the Urim and Thummim.

Nehemia 8:3

8:3 So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon ³³  before the men and women and those children who could understand. ³⁴  All the people were eager to hear ³⁵  the book of the law.

Nehemia 8:5

8:5 Ezra opened the book in plain view ³⁶  of all the people, for he was elevated above all the people. When he opened the book, ³⁷  all the people stood up.

Nehemia 8:8

8:8 They read from the book of God’s law, explaining it ³⁸  and imparting insight. Thus the people ³⁹  gained understanding from what was read.

Nehemia 8:17-18

8:17 So all the assembly which had returned from the exile constructed temporary shelters and lived in them. The Israelites had not done so from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day. Everyone experienced very great joy. ⁴⁰  8:18 Ezra ⁴¹  read in the book of the law of God day by day, from the first day to the last. ⁴²  They observed the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day they held an assembly ⁴³  as was required. ⁴⁴ 

Nehemia 9:11

9:11 You split the sea before them, and they crossed through ⁴⁵  the sea on dry ground! But you threw their pursuers ⁴⁶  into the depths, like a stone into surging ⁴⁷  waters.

Nehemia 9:17

9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. ⁴⁸  But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. ⁴⁹  You did not abandon them,

Nehemia 9:19

9:19 “Due to your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. The pillar of cloud did not stop guiding them in the path by day, ⁵⁰  nor did the pillar of fire stop illuminating for them by night the path on which they should travel.

Nehemia 9:21-22

9:21 For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

9:22 “You gave them kingdoms and peoples, and you allocated them to every corner of the land. ⁵¹  They inherited the land of King Sihon of Heshbon ⁵²  and the land of King Og of Bashan.

Nehemia 9:24-25

9:24 Their descendants ⁵³  entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites who were the inhabitants of the land. You delivered them into their hand, together with their kings and the peoples of the land, to deal with as they pleased. 9:25 They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things – wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They ate until they were full ⁵⁴  and grew fat. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness.

Nehemia 9:28

9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to ⁵⁵  their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again.

Nehemia 9:30

9:30 You prolonged your kindness ⁵⁶  with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, ⁵⁷  so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. ⁵⁸ 

Nehemia 9:32-33

9:32 “So now, our God – the great, powerful, and awesome God, who keeps covenant fidelity ⁵⁹  – do not regard as inconsequential ⁶⁰  all the hardship that has befallen us – our kings, our leaders, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people – from the days of the kings of Assyria until this very day! 9:33 You are righteous with regard to all that has happened to us, for you have acted faithfully. ⁶¹  It is we who have been in the wrong!

Nehemia 9:37

9:37 Its abundant produce goes to the kings you have placed over us due to our sins. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they see fit, ⁶²  and we are in great distress!

Nehemia 11:30

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.

Nehemia 12:22-23

12:22 As for the Levites, ⁶³  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 ⁶⁴  as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

Nehemia 12:37-38

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 ⁶⁵  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,

Nehemia 12:43

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.

Nehemia 13:10

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.

Nehemia 13:17-18

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 ⁶⁶  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!”

Nehemia 13:27

13:27 Should we then in your case hear that you do all this great evil, thereby being unfaithful to our God by marrying ⁶⁷  foreign wives?”

Nehemia 13:30

13:30 So I purified them of everything foreign, and I assigned specific ⁶⁸  duties to the priests and the Levites.

[1:9]  ¹ tn Heb “turn to me.”

[1:9]  ² tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.

[1:9]  ³ tn Heb “at the end of the heavens.”

[2:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “across the river,” here and often elsewhere in the Book of Nehemiah.

[3:8]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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.

[3:8]  map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[3:15]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew word translated “Siloam” is הַשֶּׁלַח (hashelakh, “water-channel”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, CEV “Shelah”). It apparently refers to the Pool of Siloam whose water supply came from the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah’s Tunnel built in 701 B.C. (cf. Isa 8:6). See BDB 1019 s.v. שִׁלֹחַ; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 372. On the etymology of the word, which is a disputed matter, see HALOT 1517 s.v. III שֶׁלַח.

[4:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “up to its half.”

[4:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “the people had a heart to work.”

[4:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “burden-bearers.”

[4:11]  ¹¹ tn Heb “said.”

[4:11]  ¹² tn Heb “see.”

[4:17]  ¹³ tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.

[4:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).

[4:19]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “much.”

[4:21]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “and we were doing the work.”

[4:21]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “half of them.”

[4:21]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “from the coming up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.”

[5:14]  ¹⁹ tc The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי (tsuvve’ti, “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה (tsivvah ’oti, “he appointed me”).

[5:14]  ²⁰ tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew MS פֶּחָה (pekhah, “governor”) rather than פֶּחָם (pekham, “their governor”) of the MT. One would expect the form with pronominal suffix to have a tav (ת) before the suffix.

[5:14]  ²¹ tn Heb “brothers.”

[5:14]  ²² tn Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18.

[6:3]  ²³ tn Heb “[am] doing.”

[6:9]  ²⁴ tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.

[6:9]  ²⁵ tn The statement “So now, strengthen my hands” is frequently understood as an implied prayer, but is taken differently by NAB (“But instead, I now redoubled my efforts”).

[6:13]  ²⁶ tc The translation reads לִי (li, “to me”) rather than the MT reading לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”).

[6:13]  ²⁷ tn Heb “would have a bad name.”

[7:5]  ²⁸ tn Heb “nobles”; NCV “important men.”

[7:5]  ²⁹ tn Heb “the book of genealogy.”

[7:5]  ³⁰ tn Heb “in it”; the referent (the genealogical record) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:65]  ³¹ tn The Hebrew term תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’; KJV “Tirshatha”) is the official title of a Persian governor in Judea. In meaning it may be similar to “excellency” (cf. NAB). See further BDB 1077 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395; HALOT 1798 s.v.

[7:65]  ³² tn Heb “stood.”

[8:3]  ³³ tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”

[8:3]  ³⁴ tn Heb “all who could hear with understanding.” The word “children” is understood to be implied here by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, TEV, NLT).

[8:3]  ³⁵ tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”

[8:5]  ³⁶ tn Heb “to the eyes.”

[8:5]  ³⁷ tn Heb “it”; the referent (the book) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:8]  ³⁸ tn The exact meaning of the pual participle מְפֹרָשׁ (mÿforash) in this verse is uncertain. The basic sense of the Hebrew word seems to be “to make distinct.” The word may also have the sense of “to divide in parts,” “to interpret,” or “to translate.” The context of Neh 8:8 does not decisively clarify how the participle is to be understood here. It probably refers to the role of the Levites as those who explained or interpreted the portions of biblical text that had been publicly read on this occasion. A different option, however, is suggested by the translation distincte (“distinctly”) of the Vulgate (cf. KJV, ASV). If the Hebrew word means “distinctly” here, it would imply that the readers paid particular attention to such things as word-grouping and pronunciation so as to be sure that the listeners had every opportunity to understand the message that was being read. Yet another view is found in the Talmud, which understands translation of the Hebrew text into Aramaic to be what is in view here. The following explanation of Neh 8:8 is found in b. Megillah 3a: “‘And they read in the book, in the law of God’: this indicates the [Hebrew] text; ‘with an interpretation’: this indicates the targum; ‘and they gave the sense’: this indicates the verse stops; ‘and caused them to understand the reading’: this indicates the accentuation, or, according to another version, the Masoretic notes.” However, this ancient rabbinic view that the origins of the Targum are found in Neh 8:8 is debatable. It is not clear that the practice of paraphrasing the Hebrew biblical text into Aramaic in order to accommodate the needs of those Jews who were not at home in the Hebrew language developed this early. The translation of מְפֹרָשׁ adopted above (i.e., “explaining it”) understands the word to have in mind an explanatory function (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT) rather than one of translation.

[8:8]  ³⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “And there was very great joy.”

[8:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “He”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:18]  ⁴² tn Heb “the last day.”

[8:18]  ⁴³ tn Heb “on the eighth day an assembly.” The words “they held” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “according to the judgment.”

[9:11]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “in the midst of.”

[9:11]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “those who pursued them.”

[9:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “mighty.”

[9:17]  ⁴⁸ tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX in reading בְּמִצְרָיִם (bÿmitsrayim, “in Egypt”; so also NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT) rather than the MT reading בְּמִרְיָם (bÿmiryam, “in their rebellion”).

[9:17]  ⁴⁹ tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.

[9:19]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”

[9:22]  ⁵¹ tn The words “of the land” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:22]  ⁵² tc Most Hebrew MSS read “the land of Sihon and the land of the king of Heshbon.” The present translation (along with NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT) follows the reading of one Hebrew MS, the LXX, and the Vulgate.

[9:24]  ⁵³ tn Heb “the sons.”

[9:25]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “they ate and were sated.” This expression is a hendiadys. The first verb retains its full verbal sense, while the second functions adverbially: “they ate and were filled” = “they ate until they were full.”

[9:28]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”

[9:30]  ⁵⁶ tn The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:30]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “did not give ear to.”

[9:30]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”

[9:32]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. The second noun retains its full nominal sense, while the first functions adjectivally: “the covenant and loyalty” = covenant fidelity.

[9:32]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “do not let it seem small in your sight.”

[9:33]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “you have done truth.”

[9:37]  ⁶² tn Heb “according to their desire.”

[12:22]  ⁶³ tn Some scholars delete these words, regarding them as a later scribal addition to the text.

[12:23]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “the Book of the Annals” (so NRSV); NLT “The Book of History.”

[12:38]  ⁶⁵ 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.

[13:18]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “your fathers.”

[13:27]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “give a dwelling to.”

[13:30]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “a man in his work.”