In verses 2-4 three groups of people with specific complaints are introduced by the phrase there were those who said: 1) those without land; 2) the peasants; and 3) those in debt for taxes. The first two groups are directly affected by famine. The famine caused the failure of the barley harvest in April and May. The consequences were being felt in August and September during the building of the city wall. The famine caused an inflation of prices that made it even harder to buy food.

With our sons and daughters, we are many: The first group was composed of the people who did not possess land. They had many children and no resources to get grain in order to survive. Having “many children” is not usually the basis for a complaint. Therefore it has been suggested that an emendation should be made by adding one letter to the phrase translated we are many so that it becomes “we [are giving] pledges.” For the whole clause here, New English Bible has “they were giving their sons and daughters as pledges” (similarly New Jerusalem Bible, Luther). However, the complaint is not about having many children, but the fact that there was not enough food for them. There is no textual basis for the emendation and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives an A rating to the Hebrew text. Translators should follow the translation of Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, but may include the alternative in a footnote.

Grain is a generic word for seed crops or cereals. In some languages it may be translated as “corn” or “wheat” in a general sense. Although some languages may use other terms such as “rice” or “millet” generically, care must be taken not to use a word that would not be appropriate in the history of Israel at this time. If a borrowed term for grain has been used in earlier translations, translators must determine whether this term is understood and should be retained.

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 .