translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NEH

label: NET translator note

text: It is not entirely clear whether the Hebrew word כְּפִירִים ( kÿfirim ) is a place-name not mentioned elsewhere in the OT (as indicated in the present translation; so also NAB, NASB) or whether it means “in [one of] the villages” (so, e.g., NIV, NRSV, NLT; see BDB 499 s.v.; HALOT 493 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it in the latter sense. Some scholars connect this term with the identically spelled word כּפירים (“lions”) as a figurative description of princes or warriors (e.g., Pss 34:11; 35:17; 58:7 ; Jer 2:15 ; Ezek 32:2, 13 ; Nah 2:14; see HALOT 493 s.v.): “let us meet together with the leaders in the plain of Ono.”


text: Heb “[am] doing.”


text: Heb “sent to.”


text: Heb “and I answered them according to this word.”


text: Heb “heard.”


text: Heb “Gashmu”; in Neh 2:19 this name appears as Geshem. Since it is important for the modern reader to recognize that this is the same individual, the form of the name used here in the translation is the same as that in v. 19 .


text: Heb “is saying.”


text: Heb “words.” So also in v. 7 .


text: Heb “call.”


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


text: Heb “Let us consult together.”


text: Heb “We are not according to these matters that you are saying.”


text: Heb “For from your heart you are inventing them.”


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


text: 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”).


text: Heb “shut in.” The reason for his confinement is not stated. BDB 783 s.v. עָצַר suggests that it had to do with the fulfillment of a vow or was related to an issue of ceremonial uncleanness.


text: Heb “go into the temple and live.”


text: Heb “and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.”


label: NET textual note

text: The translation reads לִי ( li , “to me”) rather than the MT reading לָהֶם ( lahem , “to them”).


text: Heb “would have a bad name.”


text: The MT understands the root here to be יָרֵא ( yare ’, “to fear”) rather than רָאָה ( ra ’ ah , “to see”).


text: Heb “they greatly fell [i.e., were cast down] in their own eyes.” Some scholars suggest emending the reading of the MT, וַיִּפְּלוּ ( vayyipÿlu ) to וַיִּפָּלֵא ( vayyippale ’, “it was very extraordinary in their eyes”).


text: Heb “were lords of oath.”


text: Heb “my words.”


text: Or “to intimidate” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).