translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NEH

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “their brothers the Jews.”


text: Heb “take” (so also in v. 3 ).


text: Heb “for the tax of the king.”


text: Heb “according to the flesh of our brothers is our flesh.”


text: Heb “like their children, our children.”


text: Heb “to become slaves” (also later in this verse).


text: Heb “there is not power for our hand.” The Hebrew expression used here is rather difficult.


text: Heb “words.”


text: Heb “my heart was advised upon me.”


text: Heb “nobles.”


text: Heb “taking a creditor’s debt.” The Hebrew noun מַשָּׁא ( masha ’) means “interest; debt” and probably refers to the collateral (pledge) collected by a creditor ( HALOT 641-42 s.v.). This particular noun form appears only in Nehemiah ( 5:7, 10; 10:32 ); however, it is related to מַשָּׁאָה ( masha ’ ah , “contractual loan; debt; collateral”) which appears elsewhere ( Deut 24:10 ; Prov 22:26 ; cf. Neh 5:11 ). See the note on the word “people” at the end of v. 5 . The BHS editors suggest emending the MT to מָשָׂא ( masa ’, “burden”), following several medieval Hebrew MSS ; however, the result is not entirely clear: “you are bearing a burden, a man with his brothers.”


text: Heb “his brothers.”


text: Heb “I gave.”


text: Heb “our brothers, the Jews.”


text: Heb “your brothers.”


label: NET textual note

text: The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר ( va ’ omar , “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib , וַיֹּאמֶר ( vayyo ’ mer , “and he said”).


text: Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.


text: Heb “[should you not] walk.”


text: Heb “brothers.”


text: Heb “lads.”


text: Heb “this debt.” This expression is a metonymy of association: “debt” refers to the seizure of the collateral of the debt.


text: The MT reads וּמְאַת ( umÿ ’ at , “and the hundredth”) which is somewhat enigmatic. The BHS editors suggest emending to וּמַשַּׁאת ( umasha ’ t , “and the debt”) which refers to the interest or collateral (pledge) seized by a creditor ( Deut 24:10 ; Prov 22:26 ; see HALOT 641-42 s.v. מַשָּׁא ). The term מַשַּׁאת ( masha ’ t ) is related to the noun מָשָּׁא ( masha ’, “debt”) in 5:7, 10 .


text: The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7 ) have been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “according to this word.”


text: Heb “my bosom.”


text: Heb “cause to stand.”


text: The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי ( tsuvve ’ ti , “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה ( tsivvah ’ oti , “he appointed me”).


text: The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew MS פֶּחָה ( pekhah , “governor”) rather than פֶּחָם ( pekham , “their governor”) of the MT. One would expect the form with pronominal suffix to have a tav ( ת ) before the suffix.


text: Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18 .


text: The Hebrew term אַחַר (’ akhar ) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (’ akhad ) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”


text: Heb “we did not purchase.”


text: Heb “who were gathered around us at my table.”


text: Or “from the Gentiles.” The same Hebrew word can refer to “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” Cf. the phrase in 6:16 .