As in verse 1 above, this verse begins with the Hebrew construction with the connective conjunction and the verb “to be,” but Revised Standard Version does not have an expression for it here. It is rendered “So it was” by New King James Version .

When the Jews who lived by them came they said to us ten times: The Jews who lived by them were those who lived near the borders of the territories of the peoples who were opposing the Jews. They have appealed to those in Jerusalem ten times, which is an expression that means “many times,” “time after time” (Good News Translation), or “a dozen times” (Revised English Bible).

The Hebrew text for this whole verse can be literally translated “And it happened when the Jews dwelling by them came and said to us ten times from all the places, ‘You should come back to us.’ ” With this translation the verse can be understood as an appeal by the Jews outside Jerusalem for those in Jerusalem to leave the city and return to the villages and country to avoid being attacked by their enemies. They make this appeal out of sympathy for the builders. This translation and interpretation is favored by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (B rating) as making the most sense of a difficult text and providing a basis for the action of Nehemiah in the next verse. This interpretation should be followed by the translator. Otherwise, it should at least be recorded in a footnote as an alternative rendering. For “from all the places, ‘You should come back to us,’ ” the Septuagint has “They are coming against us from all places/sides.” New International Version has “Wherever you turn, they will attack us,” but this is based on an unprecedented understanding of the Hebrew word for “come back” (similarly New King James Version ). Many emendations have been suggested including they live for “You should come back” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible; similarly New English Bible) and “plans which our enemies were making” in place of “places, ‘You should come back’ ” (Good News Translation; similarly Contemporary English Version). Neither of these conjectures has any textual evidence.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .