Nehemiah 4:13

4:13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. ¹  I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.

Nehemiah 11:13

11:13 and his colleagues who were heads of families ²  – 242; and Amashsai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer,

Nehemiah 12:12

12:12 In the days of Joiakim, these were the priests who were leaders of the families: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

Nehemiah 12:23

12:23 The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles ³  as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

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¹ 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).

² tn Heb “heads of fathers.”

³ tn Or “the Book of the Annals” (so NRSV); NLT “The Book of History.”