Obligation 4—Provision for the Temple Service. This was a pledge to provide what was needed for the expenses of the Temple liturgy. This is based on the instructions in Exo 30.13, but now it is expanded from the original assessment at the time of the census to an annual charge. The original law in Exo 30 only specified that a tax should be collected for the upkeep of the Tabernacle at the time of a census, perhaps the census reported in Num 1. The change to a cash economy during the Persian period and the decline of the royal patronage by the Persian kings led to a new application of the law to secure support for the Temple from the people. Previously the Temple was supported through the tithes and gifts of the people in the form of produce and livestock. But with the use of money replacing the practice of the barter of goods during the Persian period, it was also necessary for the Temple to have monetary resources. The support of the Temple given by Darius (Ezra 6.9-10) and Artaxerxes (Ezra 7.21-24) was probably discontinued after their reigns.

We also lay upon ourselves the obligation to charge ourselves: The meaning is that they will impose the obligation (literally “commands” in Hebrew with mitswah) on themselves, or they will accept the responsibility of doing something (New International Version). Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders upon ourselves with “As regards us.” However, it is preferable to express a reflexive notion similar to Revised Standard Version and many other versions to make it explicit that they placed this obligation upon themselves; for example, La Bible des Communautés Chrétiennes says “we oblige ourselves to pay” and Amplified Bible says “Also we pledged ourselves to pay.” For the Hebrew word for obligation (mitswah), see the comments at Neh 9.13-14.

Yearly may be expressed as “each year” (New International Version), “years one-one,” or another equivalent expression.

The third part of a shekel was approximately 3.8 grams of silver. This may be expressed in various ways. Bible en français courant rounds it up to 4 grams of silver, while Contemporary English Version says “a small amount of silver.” It can be described as “a third of the value of a shekel,” “what would buy a third of what a shekel would buy,” or “one part of a shekel that is divided in three parts.” See also Ezra 7.22 and Neh 5.15.

For the service of the house of our God: Good News Translation makes it explicit that this annual contribution is to pay for costs associated with worship in the Temple. New Living Translation calls it “the annual Temple tax.” For house of our God, see Ezra 8.17.

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 .