After him Gabbai, Sallai: The Hebrew text has after him, which refers back to Sallu, and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives this a B rating. New International Version interprets this phrase to refer to “his followers.” A change of one letter in Hebrew makes it “his brothers” (New Jerusalem Bible), that is, “close relatives of Sallu” (Good News Translation) or “his kinsmen” (Revised English Bible). It is recommended that the translation follow this text. It has been suggested that Gabbai, Sallai is a corruption of the Hebrew words for “mighty men of valor,” which is parallel to the statement in verse 6, but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the Hebrew text an A rating and should be followed by translators. Although Contemporary English Version restructures verses 7-8 and interprets Gabbai and Sallai to be two leaders of the tribe of Benjamin in addition to Sallu, it is preferable not to do so.

The reference to nine hundred and twenty-eight is not clear in Revised Standard Version. Good News Translation and Bible en français courant explicitly understand this to be the number of descendants of Benjamin who lived in Jerusalem, while New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version and other translations assume it implicitly (compare verse 4 above).

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 .