And when: The Hebrew text introduces the next part of the narrative with the connective conjunction and the verb “to be,” followed by the temporal marker when (also Neh 7.1; see Neh 1.1). The punctuation in MT links verses 14 and 15 to each other, and begins a major new unit here at verse 16. Even though this is not marked by a section heading, it is important for translators to indicate the new episode by appropriate discourse marking.

All our enemies heard of it, all the nations round about us were afraid: Our enemies were the Gentile provincial leaders, and all the nations round about us were in the provinces next to Judah. When the opponents and the neighboring peoples of the Jews heard that the work on the wall had been completed, they were amazed at this accomplishment. It is said that they were afraid. This is the reading of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (A rating), the Septuagint, and the Vulgate. But the Hebrew word for afraid may be derived from a different root and mean “saw,” as some versions have translated (New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). However, there is a theme of causing fright and of intimidation in the chapter. In verses 9, 13, and 14 the enemies wanted to frighten Nehemiah, but in verse 16 it is the enemies who were afraid. Therefore many versions have translated “were afraid” as Revised Standard Version has done (so New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant). The translator should follow the Revised Standard Version rendering.

Fell greatly in their own esteem is literally “they fell greatly in their own eyes.” What is meant by this clause is unclear. The phrase “fall in one’s eyes” is not found elsewhere in the Old Testament, so it is only assumed that it refers to someone’s esteem. Likewise, their could refer either to the enemies or to the nations. If it refers to the enemies, it could mean that they had been humbled by the accomplishment of rebuilding the wall. If it refers to the nations, it could mean that Tobiah and Sanballat had lost status in their view. It has been suggested that there was a scribal mistake of one letter in the Hebrew word for fell, which should read “was wonderful” (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible). However, the Hebrew text as we have it is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project (A rating), the Septuagint, and the Vulgate. It is followed by Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version and others and should be followed by translators. In spite of the lack of any other occurrence of the phrase, “fall in one’s eyes,” it is generally understood to refer to a humbling of the enemies here. It is translated in various ways, for example, “all the surrounding nations … lost their self-confidence” (New International Version), “all the nations around us … were humiliated in their own eyes” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and “our enemies … felt themselves profoundly humiliated” (Bible en français courant).

They perceived: This is followed by a non-quotation in which Nehemiah summarizes what the opponents and neighbors “realised” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “recognized” (Revised English Bible, Contemporary Chinese Bible).

This work had been accomplished with the help of our God: In English had been accomplished is a pluperfect verb; that is, the work of the Jews was completed before the recognition of that fact by the people. The actual sequence of events needs to be clearly shown in the translation.

With the help of our God is literally “from our God.” The Hebrew does not indicate how God helped his people, only that the work had been accomplished “from our God.” The Hebrew preposition min (“from, by”) has our God as its object. Amplified Bible translates “this work was done by our God” (also Darby). Nouvelle Bible Segond also gives the credit to God in its rendering: “this work had been accomplished thanks to our God.” Most English versions understand an implied object for the preposition min. This might be help (Revised Standard Version) or “will” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible “through the will of our God”). In some languages it will be more natural to restructure the prepositional phrase as a verbal phrase similarly to Contemporary English Version: “our God had helped us rebuild the wall.”

For our God, see the comment at Ezra 4.3.

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 .