The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi: Uzzi is not otherwise known. Overseer here does not refer to a military position but to his position in relation to the Levites. He was in charge of them; Good News Translation call him a “supervisor,” and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible refers to him as an “inspector.” This is the same word in Hebrew used in verses 9 and 14 above.

The sons of Asaph, the singers, over the work of the house of God: See Ezra 2.41. Over the work of the house of God refers to the liturgical function of the singers in the Temple as Good News Translation makes explicit (also Bible en français courant). To translate the singers, over the work of the house of God as “the singers, for the supervision of the business of the house of God” as Revised English Bible has done may be misleading. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible offers another model for rendering this phrase by saying “they were the singers who were active in the House of God.”

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 .