Nehemiah 2:20

2:20 I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. 1  But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” 2 

Nehemiah 5:12

5:12 They replied, “We will return these things, 3  and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials 4  swear to do what had been promised. 5 

Nehemiah 8:3

8:3 So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon 6  before the men and women and those children who could understand. 7  All the people were eager to hear 8  the book of the law.

1 tn Heb “will arise and build.” The idiom “arise and…” means to begin the action described by the second verb.

2 tn Heb “portion or right or remembrance.” The expression is probably a hendiatris: The first two nouns retain their full nominal function, while the third noun functions adjectivally (“right or remembrance” = “ancient right”).

3 tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

4 tn Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

5 tn Heb “according to this word.”

6 tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”

7 tn Heb “all who could hear with understanding.” The word “children” is understood to be implied here by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, TEV, NLT).

8 tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”