Here it is specifically stated that the records of the Levite family heads until the time of Johanan the son of Eliashib were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles. In Hebrew this is literally “the book of the words [or, affairs] of the days.” It is the Temple archives or “annals” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), “the book in which important events were recorded” (Bible en français courant). This book is not the same as 1-2 Chronicles in the Old Testament canon. New Revised Standard Version calls it “the Book of the Annals,” while Revised English Bible says simply “the annals.” It may be described, for example, as “the book of daily events” or “the official record of events from day to day.” For further comments on this expression, see A Handbook on the Book of Esther since it occurs also in Est 2.23; 10.2.

Were written: See the comments in the previous verse on “were recorded” since both expressions translate the same Hebrew verb “to write.” There it is translated by Revised Standard Version as “were recorded” because the text there does not say where the names were recorded. Here Revised Standard Version translates it as “were written” because the names were written in a book.

Until the days of: As in the previous verse, this refers to “until the time of” rather than to specific days. Good News Translation and some other translations understand this statement to indicate a limited duration of time, that is, “only down to the days of” (Revised English Bible).

As explained in the comments on verse 22 above, Johanan should be retained here and not “Jonathan” as in Good News Translation.

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 .