Nehemiah 4:3

4:3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

Nehemiah 4:7

4:7 (4:1) ¹  When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem ²  had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry.

Nehemiah 4:15

4:15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, ³  God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.

Nehemiah 4:23

4:23 We did not change clothes ⁴  – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. ⁵ 

Nehemiah 6:9

6:9 All of them were wanting ⁶  to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands! ⁷ 

Nehemiah 6:19

6:19 They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. ⁸  Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare ⁹  me.

Nehemiah 7:73

7:73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all the rest of Israel lived in their cities.

The People Respond to the Reading of the Law

When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites ¹⁰  were settled in their cities, ¹¹ 

Nehemiah 8:3

8:3 So he read it before the plaza in front of the Water Gate from dawn till noon ¹²  before the men and women and those children who could understand. ¹³  All the people were eager to hear ¹⁴  the book of the law.

Nehemiah 9:3

9:3 For one-fourth of the day they stood in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God, and for another fourth they were confessing their sins ¹⁵  and worshiping the LORD their God.

Nehemiah 11:12

11:12 and their colleagues ¹⁶  who were carrying out work for the temple – 822; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malkijah,

Nehemiah 12:24

12:24 And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their colleagues, who stood opposite them to offer praise and thanks, one contingent corresponding to the other, as specified by ¹⁷  David the man of God.

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¹ sn Chapter 4 begins here in the Hebrew text (BHS). See the note at 4:1.

² map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

³ tn Heb “it was known to us.”

⁴ tn Heb “strip off our garments.”

⁵ tc Heb “a man, his weapon, the waters.” The MT, if in fact it is correct, is elliptical and difficult. Some scholars emend the MT reading הַמָּיִם (hammayim, “the waters”) to בִּמִנוֹ (bimino, “in his right hand”; cf. NAB, NRSV) or מִינוּ(י)הֵ (heminu, “they held on the right side”).

⁶ tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.

⁷ tn The statement “So now, strengthen my hands” is frequently understood as an implied prayer, but is taken differently by NAB (“But instead, I now redoubled my efforts”).

⁸ tn Heb “my words.”

⁹ tn Or “to intimidate” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).

¹⁰ tn Heb “the sons of Israel.” So also in vv. 14, 17; 9:1.

¹¹ tn The traditional understanding of the chapter and verse division here is probably incorrect. The final part of v. 73 is best understood as belonging with 8:1.

¹² tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”

¹³ 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).

¹⁴ tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “confessing.” The words “their sins” are not present in the Hebrew text of v. 3, but are clearly implied here because they are explicitly stated in v. 2.

¹⁶ tn Heb “brothers” (also in vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).

¹⁷ tn Heb “in [accord with] the commandment of.”