For in the days of David and Asaph: For renders a Hebrew conjunction that links this verse with what precedes it. Music is further emphasized here with an explanation that closely associates Asaph with King David. Asaph lived at the same time as David, and some of the Psalms are believed to have been composed by him (see the comments at Ezra 2.40-42). In the days of refers to the time when both King David and Asaph were living (see verse 7 above).

Of old: Like Revised Standard Version, some translations take this to refer to events during the time of King David and Asaph (Revised English Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Others, however, interpret it to mean from the time of David and Asaph (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Osty-Trinquet). In accordance with the recommendation of the Handbook for the rest of the verse, this phrase refers to events during the time of King David and Asaph.

There was a chief of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God: There are two problems with the Hebrew text as it is literally translated in the Revised Standard Version. The first problem involves the word chief. In MT this word is in the singular. However, the marginal reading of MT has the plural form “chiefs/heads,” which is found in some Hebrew manuscripts and the Vulgate. Some versions follow the plural form; for example, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible renders the last part of the verse as “there were leaders of the singers and the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God,” and Bible en français courant has “the choral chiefs led the songs of acclamation and praise that were addressed to God.” Likewise, New International Version has “there had been directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God” (similarly Nouvelle Bible Segond). Other versions follow the singular form of the Hebrew text and identify Asaph as the chief, and indeed, according to 1 Chr 15.16-18 and 16.5, Asaph was the chief of three leading singers. Thus for the whole verse, Revised English Bible has “For it was in the days of David that Asaph took the lead as chief of the singers and director of praise and thanksgiving to God” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Osty-Trinquet). This interprets the whole verse to refer to a continuity of time from the time of King David and Asaph (so Good News Translation). What happened in the time of David and Asaph is the reason for what is being done in the time of Nehemiah. It is preferred to follow the singular form for chief as in the Hebrew text according to this interpretation.

The other textual problem is the reference to the word translated songs. By reversing two letters in the Hebrew word, it has the meaning “director.” Since the word songs may have occurred through the error of a scribe, Revised English Bible identifies Asaph as also being “director of praise and thanksgiving to God.” There is no manuscript or versional evidence for this translation in Revised English Bible. Therefore, translators should translate songs as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done (also Bible en français courant, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

For praise and thanksgiving, see the comments at verse 8 above. Here both praises and thanks are mentioned, and the text adds the identification of the one who receives the praises and the thanks: they were addressed to 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 .