Nehemia 2:20

2:20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. ¹  But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” ² 

Nehemia 13:21

13:21 But I warned them and said, ³  “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you repeat this, I will forcibly remove you!” ⁴  From that time on they did not show up on the Sabbath. ⁵ 

[2:20]  ¹ tn Heb “will arise and build.” The idiom “arise and…” means to begin the action described by the second verb.

[2:20]  ² 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”).

[13:21]  ³ tn The Hebrew text includes the words “to them,” but they have been excluded from the translation for stylistic reasons.

[13:21]  ⁴ tn Heb “I will send a hand on you.”

[13:21]  ⁵ 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.