Nehemiah 2:19

2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard all this, 1  they derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

Nehemiah 4:16

4:16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, 2  shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people 3  of Judah

Nehemiah 5:9

5:9 Then I 4  said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! 5  Should you not conduct yourselves 6  in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?

1 tn The Hebrew text does not include the words “all this,” but they have been added in the translation for clarity.

2 tc The MT reads “and spears.” The conjunction should be deleted.

3 tn Heb “all the house.”

4 tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”).

5 tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.

6 tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”