complete verse (Nehemiah 10:18)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 10:18:

  • Kupsabiny: “Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “The leaders/[lit. heads] who signed were Parosh, Pahat Moab, Elam, Zatu, Bani, Buni, Azgad, Bebai, Adonia, Bigvai, Adin, Ater, Hezekia, Azur, Hodia, Hashum, Bezai, Harif, Anatot, Nebai, Magpiash, Meshulam, Hezir, Meshezabel, Zadok, Jadua, Palatia, Hanan, Anaya, Hoseas, Hanania, Hashub, Halohesh, Pilha, Shobek, Rehum, Hashabna, Maasea, Ahia, Hanan, Anan, Maluc, Harim, and Baanah.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai,” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 10:14 - 10:27

Forty-four chiefs (literally “heads”) of the people are named in the fourth category of people who signed the document. These are the leaders of the general population as contrasted with the high-ranking officials, Nehemiah and Zedekiah who were the first to sign the document. Again many of these names occur elsewhere in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Fourteen of the first twenty-one names are listed in Ezra 2 and Neh 7. Thirteen of them are in the list of those who built the wall in Neh 3 and four of the names are of men who stood with Ezra to read the Law in Neh 8.4. These are Hashum, Meshullam, Anaiah, and Maaseiah. For Pahathmoab see the comments on Ezra 2.3-20.

The name Hanan occurs twice in this list, possibly as a result of accidental repetition in the history of the manuscripts. However, both occurrences should be retained. The second one may be rendered “another Hanan.”

Good News Translation combines verses 14-27 to include the complete list of the “Leaders of the people” in a single syntactic unit.

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 .