See in Reader
8.5 KiB
Nehemiah 4
Nehemiah 4:1
Now when Sanballat
Here Nehemiah uses the word "now" to signal a new part of the story.
Sanballat
This is a man's name. See how you translated this in Nehemiah 2:10. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
it burned within him, and he was furiously angry
Here "it" refers to Sanballat's realization that the Jews are rebuilding the walls. This speaks of Sanballat becoming very angry as if his anger were a burning fire. Alternate translation: "he became furiously angry" or "he became very angry" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Nehemiah 4:2
In the presence of his brothers
"In the presence of his kinsmen" or "In the presence of his clan"
What are these feeble ... Will they restore ... Will they offer ... Will they finish the work in a day?
Sanballat poses these questions to mock the Jews. These can be written as statements. Alternate translation: "These feeble Jews can accomplish nothing. They will never restore the city for themselves. They will not offer sacrifices. They will not finish the work in a day." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
feeble Jews
"weak Jews"
in a day
This speaks of not finishing something quickly by saying that it cannot be accomplished in a day. Alternate translation: "quickly" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Will they bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned?
Sanballat also poses this question to mock the Jews. This can be written as a statement. Alternate translation: "They will not bring to life again the stones from piles of rubble that were burned." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-rquestion)
bring to life the stones from the piles of rubble after they were burned
This speaks of the people rebuilding the city as if they were bring it back to life. Alternate translation: "restore the city and rebuild its walls from the useless stones that were burned and turned into rubble" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
from the piles of rubble after they were burned
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "from piles of rubble that someone had burned" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Nehemiah 4:3
Tobiah
This is a man's name. See how you translated this in Nehemiah 2:10. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
If only a fox went up on what they are building, it would break down their stone wall
Sanaballat mocks the wall and exaggerates how weak it is by saying that a fox could knock it down. Alternate translation: "That wall they are building is so weak that even if a little fox climbed up on it, their stone wall would fall to the ground" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
Nehemiah 4:4
Connecting Statement:
Nehemiah begins to pray to God.
Hear, our God, for we are despised
Here the word "we" refers to the Jews. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Hear, our God, for our enemies despise us" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
give them up to be plundered
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "let their enemies rob them" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Turn back their taunts on their own heads
The phrase "their taunts" refers to Sanballat's and Tobiah's insults. Here the word "heads" refers to the whole people. Alternate translation: "Turn their taunts onto themselves" or "Cause their insulting words to mock themselves" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Nehemiah 4:5
Connecting Statement:
Nehemiah contines the prayer he began in verse 4.
Do ... to anger.
Nehemiah continues the prayer he began with the words "Hear, our God" in verse 4. You may show that this is a prayer by making it a direct quote. "Then I prayed, 'Hear, our God, ... they are prisoners. Do not cover ... the builders to anger.'"
Do not cover over
This speaks of a forgiving a person's sins as if they were a object that could be physically hidden. Alternate translation: "Do not forgive" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
do not erase their sin from before you
This speaks of forgetting a person's sins as if they were something written that could be erased. Alternate translation: "do not forget their sins
they have provoked the builders to anger
"they have made the builders become angry"
Nehemiah 4:6
So we built the wall
"So we rebuilt the wall"
all the wall was joined together to half its height
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "we joined the wall together and it was half its total height" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
half its height
"Half" means one part out of two equal parts. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-fraction)
Nehemiah 4:7
a great anger burned within them
This speaks of the people being very angry as if their anger were something that burned inside them. Alternate translation: "they became very angry" or "they became enraged" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Nehemiah 4:8
against Jerusalem
Here "Jerusalem" refers to the people who live there. Alternate translation: "against the people of Jerusalem" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Nehemiah 4:9
set a guard as protection
"put men around the wall to guard the city"
Nehemiah 4:10
There is too much rubble
Rubble is "burned stone" or "broken rock" or "unusable stone."
Nehemiah 4:11
They will not know or see until we come among them
"They will not see us coming until we are beside them"
Nehemiah 4:12
from all directions
This represents many directions. The word "all" is an exaggeration for represents "many." Alternate translation: "from many directions" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
spoke to us ten times
Here the number 10 is used to represent "many." Alternate translation: "spoke to us many times" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Nehemiah 4:13
in the exposed areas
"in the vulnerable areas"
I positioned each family
This refers to several people from each family, this likely does not include the women and children. Alternate translation: "I positioned people from each family" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-synecdoche)
Nehemiah 4:14
Call to mind the Lord
the phrase "call to mind" means to remember. Alternate translation: "Remember the Lord" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Nehemiah 4:15
It came about
"It happened that"
their plans were known to us
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "we knew about their plans" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Nehemiah 4:16
my servants worked
"my young men worked"
half of my servants ... half of them
"Half" means one part out of two equal parts. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-fraction)
the leaders stood behind all the people
"the leaders positioned themselves behind all the people"
Nehemiah 4:17
Everyone worked with one hand, and with the other hand he held his weapon
This is an exaggeration. They did not always work with only one hand, but they always had their weapon with them so that they were prepared to protect themselves and those around them. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole)
Nehemiah 4:18
General Information:
This page has intentionally been left blank.
Nehemiah 4:19
I said
Here "I" refers to Nehemiah.
the nobles ... the officials
These are the leaders referred to in Nehemiah 4:16.
The work is great
Here the word "great" means "large-scale" or "huge."
Nehemiah 4:20
the trumpet sound
This refers to someone blowing a trumpet. Alternate translation: "someone blowing a trumpet" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Nehemiah 4:21
Half of them
Here "Half" means one part out of two equal parts. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-fraction)
from the rising of the dawn until the coming out of the stars
This refers to the whole day, while it is light outside. Alternate translation: "from the first light of day until the very beginning of the night"
the rising of the dawn
It is the point in time that the sun rises that is "dawn." Here the sun rising is spoken of as if the "dawn" rose. Alternate translation: "the rising of the sun" or "dawn" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Nehemiah 4:22
in the middle of Jerusalem
"within Jerusalem"
Nehemiah 4:23
changed our clothes
"took off our clothes"