This is a key verse that is referred to in verses 35 and 36 below. It summarizes the great success that God gave to his people and their excess in their victory.

They captured fortified cities and a rich land: This is military language describing the success that God gave to the Israelites and this should be reflected in the translation. They were a conquering army that took both cities and territory by force or through battle. Fortified cities is a common expression for cities that had high walls built around them to defend them and to protect the inhabitants from attack (see Deut 1.28; 9.1). Rich land means fertile land that is good for planting crops and that will produce good harvests.

Took possession of …: This is the fifth and last reference in the prayer to taking possession (verses 15, 22, 23, 24, 25). The Israelites took over everything in the land as their own (see Deut 6.11). They took houses. These were the dwelling places of the former inhabitants of the land that were filled with all good things. They were “full of wealth” (Good News Translation) or they were “filled with all sorts of possessions” (Nouvelle Bible Segond).

The Israelites also took cisterns that were already hewn out. These were underground cavities or chambers that were used for storing rainwater for drinking. They were usually cut into rock and were plastered to keep water in them. This water enabled people and animals to survive during the dry seasons. New International Version understands these to be “wells,” but that is not the correct term here. If cisterns are not known in the receptor culture, a descriptive expression may be used, such as “holes in rocks for storing water,” or a compound construction like “water-storing-pits.”

The Israelites also took over the riches that the land produced. They took the farms that gave its former inhabitants their wealth. Vineyards were fields of vines that bore grapes for eating or making wine (see Ezra 6.9; Neh 5.3). Olive orchards were fields of trees that bore olives for making oil (see Neh 5.11). And there were trees that bore other kinds of fruit. These were already there in the land in abundance, or “in great number” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible); that is, there were very many of them in the land.

They ate, and were filled and became fat: The Israelites exploited all this abundance to excess. In Hebrew became fat usually has a negative connotation and is associated with turning away from God (see Deut 32.15; Jer 5.28), and this is probably what is being implied here.

Delighted themselves: This is the only occurrence in the Bible of the Hebrew word translated delighted. It seems to be used here in a negative sense with a meaning like “reveled” or “lived in luxury” (Nouvelle Bible Segond, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

In thy great goodness: The Hebrew repeats the word “good” from the phrase above referring to houses full of all good things. Here it refers to the “great good” deeds that God had done for the Israelites.

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 .