The duties of the priests and Levites that day are described as the service of their God and the service of purification. Service refers to the performance of duties, or more specifically to the observance and fulfillment of religious practices and ceremonies. Here the priests and Levites performed their religious duties in the Temple. New Jerusalem Bible refers to “the liturgy of their God and the rites of purification.” Good News Translation interprets of their God to mean that they carried out what God had commanded. For purification see verse 30 above.

Special attention is paid to the singers and the gatekeepers. The instructions and precedent for their service are found in the command of David and his son Solomon (see 1 Chr 23–26; 2 Chr 8.14). The last clause may be rendered “the singers and the gatekeepers did their work according to the way that [King] David and his son [King] Solomon had said.”

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 .

The beginning of this new section is marked by the Hebrew construction with the connective conjunction and the verb “to be,” together with a time reference (see Neh 1.1). Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both omit a formal equivalent of the Hebrew form. Translators should use the appropriate conjunction or linking expression in receptor language narrative.

The time was the month of Nisan, the start of the New Year in the Babylonian calendar. This calendar began with the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere at the spring equinox. The name Nisan is from an Akkadian word meaning “opening” or “beginning.” This was also the first month in the Hebrew calendar, where it was given the Canaanite name “Abib” (see Exo 13.4). This is the time of year from mid-March to mid-April (see “Translating Ezra and Nehemiah,” pages 25-26).

It is stated that this was in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes. However, in 1.1 “the twentieth year” is also referred to. This creates a problem because of the months that are named. The account of Nehemiah in chapter 1 begins in the month of Chislev and the events of this chapter follow in the month of Nisan. Nisan was the first month of the year and therefore could not come after Chislev in the same year. Some commentators have suggested changing 1.1 to “the nineteenth year.” Others suggest that this does not refer to the calendar year, but to the year of the king’s reign, dated from the month of his coming to the throne. Still others suggest that the calendar year that is referred to here is one in which the new year began in the autumn. Good News Translation avoids the problem by specifying the length of time from the first event and omitting the name of the month. It is best for translators to translate the text as it stands and not try to resolve this apparent problem in the calendar.

When wine was before him may indicate the time of a feast. The New Year feast was a time when the Persian kings granted favors to those of the king’s household who had asked for them. Some versions translate the Hebrew text almost literally as Revised Standard Version has done (also Darby, Segond, Nouvelle version Segond révisée, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). However, the meaning of this expression is ambiguous and it could be understood that the king was at a drinking party. Therefore, translators render this clause in various ways. New International Version says “when wine was brought for him”; Good News Translation interprets it in the context of eating a meal: “when Emperor Artaxerxes was dining”; and New English Bible says “when his wine was ready.” One translation has “when he was served wine in observance of the feast.” New Jerusalem Bible interprets it in light of the words at the end of verse 11 of chapter 1 and translates “since I was in charge of the wine.” This follows the text of the Septuagint and the Syriac. But Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the Hebrew text a C rating and is preferable. The authors of this Handbook suggest a translation like “when it was time to serve the wine to him.” For comments on wine, see Ezra 6.9.

I took up the wine and gave it to the king means that the cupbearer picked up the cup of wine from where it had been placed and served it personally to the king.

Now: In the Revised Standard Version translation this is not a marker of time, but rather an adverb that draws the reader’s attention to a change in the narration. When Now is used this way, it functions as a discourse marker that indicates a break in the account. Here it introduces a comment about events that took place prior to the immediate situation. This is the writer’s personal explanation that he inserts in his account.

I had not been sad in his presence: The Hebrew is translated here in English by a negative pluperfect verb. New Revised Standard Version has “I had never been sad in his presence before.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project prefers the Hebrew text as it is with a B rating (also Revised Standard Version) but understands it to include the idea of “never before,” as in Good News Translation, New International Version, Contemporary English Version, and others. This understanding is recommended to translators. Translators will need to make sure that the chronology reflected in this verse is accurately conveyed; that is, this brief comment is a flashback to the situation prior to the present time. Good News Translation makes explicit the implied meaning: not merely that Nehemiah had not been sad in the presence of the king before, but that the king had not observed him to be unhappy before.

The basic meaning of the Hebrew word for sad is “bad.” Here it refers to Nehemiah’s physical appearance and indicates his emotional state. Nehemiah was serving the king in an official capacity and therefore should not present himself in an unfitting condition. To show signs of sadness in the king’s presence was not acceptable behavior for a servant. In many languages sorrow is expressed idiomatically, for instance, “to have a heavy heart” or “to have a heavy liver.” Translators should use a word or expression that is appropriate for describing Nehemiah’s emotional state in the royal setting.

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 .

At about this point along the wall Nehemiah had to dismount his animal when he inspected the wall at night (see Neh 2.14). It was no longer possible to follow the line of the old wall that had been buried at the bottom of the slope. From here on a new wall was built along the top of the slope. The route of the new wall is no longer identified by gates, but by other landmarks that are unknown today. This route has been established by archeological evidence.

From this point in the text the description of the repair of the wall proceeds to the north and each person is described as being After (literally “behind”) the person before rather than “Next to” (literally “at hand”). This may indicate the direction being described.

Nehemiah the son of Azbuk is another Nehemiah, not the governor.

Beth-zur was a town that was located about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) south of Jerusalem and 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) north of Hebron in the hill country of Judea. Revised Standard Version writes this name with a hyphen, while Good News Translation writes it as a single word. Translators should follow the model they have adopted for writing compound names.

Repaired to a point opposite the sepulchres of David, to the artificial pool, and to the house of the mighty men: For sepulchres see Neh 2.3. The location of the sepulchres of David is not known today, but on the basis of 1 Kgs 2.10 it is generally thought that they were in the City of David. The Hebrew noun rendered sepulchres is plural, and most translations render it in the plural. This place may be called “the royal burial place” or “the royal cemetery” (similarly Parole de Vie). This is not a reference to “David’s tomb” (as in Good News Translation, which follows the Septuagint), but to tombs in the City of David. The locations of the artificial pool (literally “the pool that is made”) and the house of the mighty men also are not known. The house of the mighty men could refer either to military barracks as in Good News Translation, or to a place associated with the heroes of David (2 Sam 23.8-39.). Mighty men should be rendered by words that are associated with prowess in battle, for example, “Heroes” (New International Version) and “Valiant men” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). It is not clear where these three locations were situated in relation to each other in the rebuilding of the wall. Nehemiah rebuilt the wall up to a point that was across from the tombs, or up to a location that faced the tombs. He also rebuilt the wall up to the pool of water and up to the house of the great warriors. Translators should not try to identify exactly how Nehemiah rebuilt the wall as far as these three points.

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 .

Those who carried the burdens were laden … with one hand on the work and with the other held his weapon: All of the different types of laborers needed to be ready to defend themselves as well. Although the text does not indicate what the burdens were, the stage of the work here suggests that Those who carried burdens were the basket-carriers taking supplies to the builders (contrast verse 10 above). They carried the baskets on their heads or shoulders holding them with one hand and they carried an unspecified weapon for defense with the other hand. New Jerusalem Bible identifies this weapon as a “spear” but it is not known what this weapon was. Like Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, the translator should use a general term for an object for fighting without identifying it.

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 .

Neh 4.:18

Each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built: The builders were the ones who were actually rebuilding the wall. These were the masons. They needed to work with two hands so they each had a sword strapped at their waist.

The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me: The one who would sound the alarm with a trumpet stayed with Nehemiah, who would give him the order when to do so. A trumpet was an instrument made from a ram’s horn. Good News Translation calls it a “bugle.” Contemporary English Version calls it a “signal trumpet.” The function of this instrument was to sound a warning or a call to battle. This instrument should be distinguished from the trumpets that were blown by the priests (see Ezra 3.10).

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 .

Then I sent to him, saying: Because this follows a message from Sanballat, it is a “reply” as Good News Translation makes explicit. Saying introduces the contents of Nehemiah’s reply. Nehemiah answered Sanballat in brief and strong terms. He accused him of making up these things.

No such things as you say have been done: In this first clause Nehemiah categorically denies that anything that Sanballat accuses him of has been done, as Revised Standard Version translates. Good News Translation interprets this denial in terms of truth. Other versions render the same meaning using idiomatic expressions, for example, “As regards what you say, nothing of the sort has occurred” (New Jerusalem Bible), “Nothing corresponds to what you say” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), and “There is nothing exact in what you say” (Bible en français courant). Contemporary English Version says it with an exclamation: “None of this is true!” All these translations reflect the Hebrew direct quotation, which begins with the Hebrew negative marker.

For you are inventing them out of your own mind: In this second clause Nehemiah states his own counteraccusation. Sanballat has “made it all up” himself (Good News Translation). Inventing translates a verb that is used only one other time in the Old Testament (1 Kgs 12.33, where Revised Standard Version has “devised”). It is a word with the unpleasant connotation of “devising” or “fabricating.” Mind in Hebrew is literally “heart” (see Neh 4.6). Here it stands not for emotion but for intellectual activity. Each language must use its own idiom for expressing this idea. Some will use a picture such as the English “out of your own head” (similarly New International Version). New Jerusalem Bible renders the whole clause idiomatically with “it is a figment of your own imagination,” and Bible en français courant has “It is nothing but pure invention on your part.” The translator should try to express the emphatic and dramatic nature of Nehemiah’s response.

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 .

Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden pulpit which they had made for the purpose: Pulpit here means a “platform” (Good News Translation) that Ezra and thirteen other men stood on top of. Sometimes this is called a “dais” in English (so New Jerusalem Bible). The platform had been made, that is, “built” (Good News Translation) or “erected” (New Jerusalem Bible). The platform may have been similar in dimensions to the one made of bronze for Solomon for the dedication of the Temple. Solomon’s platform was five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, that is, eight feet square and five feet high according to the American edition of Good News Translation, or 2.2 meters square and 1.3 meters high according to the British edition of Good News Translation (see 2 Chr 6.13). The platform had been specially made for the purpose (Nouvelle version Segond révisée “occasion”) of this event.

Those who stood with Ezra on the platform are not identified except by their names. They seem to be laymen who were community leaders. Anaiah, Maaseiah, Hashum, and Meshullam are named in Neh 10.18, 20, 22, 25 as leaders of the people who signed the agreement to live according to God’s Law. Their role on the platform is not defined. They evidently were there to give support to Ezra. The significance of there being thirteen men here and thirteen Levites in verse 7 below is not known.

Beside him stood … on his right hand … on his left hand: The men who stood beside Ezra are listed in two separate groups, first those who were beside him on the right side and then those who were on the left side. The important point is that Ezra was in the middle and the men who stood with him were divided into two groups on either side of him. This does not mean that those who stood on one side were more favored than those who stood on the other side.

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 .

The next section of the prayer in verses 22-25 shows how God’s care for his people also extended to the political realm. These verses describe how God gave the people possession of the land in the Transjordan and in Canaan, beginning with the lands of the kings of Heshbon and Bashan (Num 21.25-26, 33-35). The people acknowledge that it was God who gave them kingdoms and peoples.

Kingdoms and peoples refers to political structures and to the groups of people that lived in them. For kingdoms see Ezra 1.2. The Hebrew word for peoples is ʿam. It designates “ethnic groups” here (see Ezra 1.3; 8.15). Good News Translation says “nations and kingdoms,” while New International Version translates “kingdoms and nations.”

Didst allot to them every corner: It is not known exactly what is meant here by the Hebrew word translated every corner. In different contexts this word can mean “corner” (Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version), “direction,” “edge,” “remotest frontiers” (New International Version), “border” (so Good News Translation), and “boundary.” BNT translates it idiomatically as “to the four corners.” Revised English Bible has even related the word to an Arabic cognate and has translated it as “spoils of war.” The word is most often taken to mean either that they have been given every part of the land or that the surrounding kingdoms and peoples will form the boundaries of their land. That they took possession of Heshbon and Bashan fits the first meaning (note Num 24.17, where the word is used in connection with Moab), and this is recommended to translators.

They took possession of the land is more than conquering foreign kings in battle. It is taking their land, occupying it, and settling in it so that it becomes their new home. The theme of taking possession of the land is introduced in Ezra 9.11 and is repeated five times in this prayer (verses 15, 22, 23, 24, 25). New International Version says “They took over the country.” In some languages translators may use expressions like “they took place in the land,” “they took the land,” or “They conquered the land” (Good News Translation).

The land of Sihon king of Heshbon and the land of Og king of Bashan: Heshbon was the capital city of King Sihon, who ruled the Amorites. Bashan was the territory of King Og in the plateau region in Gilead west of the Sea of Galilee. The Hebrew is literally “the land of Sihon and the land of the king of Heshbon and the land of Og the king of Bashan.” The first “and” probably has the meaning “that is” to explain further what is meant by “the land of Sihon” (so Revised Standard Version). It is also possible that there has been a scribal repetition of “and the land of” after “Sihon,” but the Revised Standard Version interpretation is recommended.

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 .

These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem: The chiefs, which is literally “heads,” refers to leaders of the province of Judah in all the categories that are listed in verses 4-24. This introductory statement is followed by an explanatory comment before the actual listing begins in the following verse. Good News Translation therefore restructures this verse so that this introduction immediately precedes the listing in the next verse, and translators may find it helpful to follow this example.

Some commentators interpret the statement from but in the towns of Judah in this verse to “of the sons of Benjamin” in the next verse as being parenthetical. New International Version indicates this interpretation by placing it in parentheses (compare Contemporary English Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew text indicates a contrast in this parenthetical statement: “but [though] in the towns … And [yet] in Jerusalem….” The purpose of this statement is to indicate that there were people still living outside Jerusalem even though the leaders of all the groups of people lived in Jerusalem.

Every one lived on his property means that they lived on the land inherited by their family in their tribal area. It is better to translate “all lived on their property” as in New Revised Standard Version since this also included the women.

Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants: The order of the categories of people is the same as in Ezra 2 and Neh 7. Israel refers to the lay people of Israel. The other categories all refer to people related to the Temple. For information about priests, Levites, temple servants and Solomon’s servants, see the comments on Ezra 2.36-58.

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 .