## the portions assigned to give to the Levites had not been distributed to them ## AT: "the people of Israel had not been bringing into the storerooms their tithes and offerings of food for the temple priests" ## so they hurried to leave the temple, each to his own field, as the singers who did the work also had done ## This can be written as a new sentence. "As a result, the priests and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field." ## the singers ## AT: "the musicians" ## Why is the house of God neglected? ## This is a rhetorical question since Nehemiah uses it to challenge or even ridicule the officials who had not done their work. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])