1:1 1 These are the words of Nehemiah 2 son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, 3 I was in Susa 4 the citadel.
4:6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. 5 The people were enthusiastic in their work. 6
4:12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly 8 about all the schemes 9 they were plotting 10 against us.
4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. 11 I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.
9:36 “So today we are slaves! In the very land you gave to our ancestors to eat its fruit and to enjoy 16 its good things – we are slaves!
1 sn In ancient Judaism Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as a single book with dual authorship. According to the Talmud, “Ezra wrote his book” (b. Bava Batra 15a). The Gemara then asks and answers, “And who finished it? Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.” Accordingly, the two are joined in the Leningrad Codex (ca.
2 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nÿkhemyah) means “the
3 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
4 tn Heb “Shushan.”
5 tn Heb “up to its half.”
6 tn Heb “the people had a heart to work.”
7 tn Heb “burden-bearers.”
8 tn Heb “ten times.”
9 tc The MT reads the anomalous מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת (mikkol hammÿqomot, “from every place”) but the BHS editors propose כָּל־הַמְּזִמּוֹת (kol hammÿzimmot, “about every scheme”). The initial mem (מ) found in the MT may have been added accidentally due to dittography with the final mem (ם) on the immediately preceding word, and the MT qof (ק) may have arisen due to orthographic confusion with the similar looking zayin (ז). The emendation restores sense to the line in the MT, which makes little sense and features an abrupt change of referents: “Wherever you turn, they will be upon us!” The threat was not against the villagers living nearby but against those repairing the wall, as the following context indicates. See also the following note on the word “plotting.”
10 tc The MT reads תָּשׁוּבוּ (tashuvu, “you turn”) which is awkward contextually. The BHS editors propose emending to חָשְׁבוּ (hashÿvu, “they were plotting”) which harmonizes well with the context. This emendation involves mere orthographic confusion between similar looking ח (khet) and ת (tav), and the resultant dittography of middle vav (ו) in MT. See also the preceding note on the word “schemes.”
11 tc The MT preserves the anomalous Kethib form צְחִחִיִּים (tsÿkhikhiyyim); the Qere reads צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) which is preferred (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ).
tn The meaning of the Hebrew term צְחִיחִים (tsÿkhikhim) here is uncertain. Elsewhere (Ezek 24:7, 8; 26:4, 14) it refers to a shining or glaring surface of a rock (BDB 850 s.v. צָהִיחַ; HALOT 1018 s.v. *צָהִיחַ), but here it refers to an exposed or vulnerable portion of the wall: “open positions of the wall” (HALOT 1018 s.v. 2).
12 tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.
13 tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).
14 tc The translation reads לִי (li, “to me”) rather than the MT reading לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”).
15 tn Heb “would have a bad name.”
16 tn The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
17 tn Heb “and I stood them on their standing.”