Didst perform signs and wonders: Signs point to something beyond the act or the event itself. They are events or objects that reveal something else. Here they point to the power of God that is demonstrated in wonders. Wonders are events that cause people to wonder because they are out of the ordinary; they are miracles. Signs and wonders are near synonyms that often occur together (Exo 7.3; Deut 6.22; Psa 135.9; Dan 4.2). A similar pair of Greek words occurs in the New Testament as “signs and wonders” (Mark 13.22; John 4.48). They may be interpreted together as Good News Translation has done by translating the two words with an adjective and a noun: “amazing miracles.” These are the plagues that God sent upon the people of Egypt. Most versions retain and translate the two words separately.
Against Pharaoh: Pharaoh is not a proper name. It is the transliterated form of the Hebrew word for the title that was used for the ruler over all of Egypt. Many versions retain the title as though it were a proper name. However, other versions do as Good News Translation has done in expressing the meaning or the equivalent of the Egyptian title. Some equivalent titles are “king,” “great lord,” and “ruler of the land.”
The miracles that God performed were actions that were taken against the king, all his servants and all the people of his land. These miracles were a form of punishment; that is, they caused suffering to the king, to those who served him, and to all the other Egyptian people. Good News Translation interprets servants in a more technical sense as being the “officials” of the king (also Contemporary English Version, New International Version). These were the court dignitaries or the “great people” of the king. Against is expressed as “on the head of” in some languages.
They acted insolently against our fathers: Acted insolently refers to the arrogant behavior (so New English Bible, New International Version) of the Egyptians against the Israelites. The original meaning of the Hebrew verb is “to boil” and by extension “to seethe.” In this context it takes on the meaning of acting insolently or arrogantly against someone. Chouraqui translates literally with “they boiled against,” and some languages will use a similar expression. However, most translations express the contextual meaning as Revised Standard Version has done. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “they acted presumptuously toward,” while Good News Translation speaks more concretely of oppression.
Thou didst get thee a name, as it is to this day: Through God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt he “made a name for” himself (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). He created for himself a reputation as a savior. Good News Translation is a good model to follow: “You won then the fame you still have today.” In spite of the distress of the people in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (see verse 32), God still to this day had that reputation.
This day refers to the day when this prayer was said (see Ezra 9.7). The fame that God gained from delivering his people from Egypt “lives to this day” (Revised English Bible). The translator needs to make it clear that the time reference here is the time of the events that are being recounted in the book of Nehemiah and not the day of the reader or listener today.
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 .