translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NEH

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “the seed of Israel.”


text: Heb “sons of a foreigner.”


text: Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 9, 16, 23, 32, 34, 36 ).


text: 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 .


label: NET textual note

text: Heb “Bani.” The translation reads “Binnui” (so also NAB) rather than the MT reading “Bani.” Otherwise there are two individuals with the same name in this verse. The name “Binnui” appears, for example, in Neh 10:10 .


text: Heb “in a great voice.”


text: The MT reads here only “from age to age,” without the preceding words “May you be blessed, O LORD our God” which are included in the present translation. But apparently something has dropped out of the text. This phrase occurs elsewhere in the OT as a description of the Lord (see Ps 41:13; 106:48 ), and it seems best to understand it here in that light. The LXX adds “And Ezra said” at the beginning of v. 6 as a transition: “And Ezra said, ‘You alone are the LORD .” Without this addition (which is not included by most modern English translations) the speakers of vv. 9:5 b- 10:1 continue to be the Levites of v. 5 a.


text: Heb “the name of your glory.”


text: Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”


text: Heb “all their host.”


text: Heb “the” (so NAB).


text: Heb “seed.”


text: Heb “your words.”


text: Heb “the Sea of Reeds.” Traditionally this is identified as the Red Sea, and the modern designation has been used in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “signs and wonders.” This phrase is a hendiadys. The second noun functions adjectivally, while the first noun retains its full nominal sense: “awesome signs” or “miraculous signs.”


text: Heb “they”; the referent (the Egyptians) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “arrogantly” (so NASB); NRSV “insolently.”


text: Heb “in the midst of.”


text: Heb “those who pursued them.”


text: Heb “mighty.”


text: Heb “by the hand of.”


text: Heb “had lifted your hand.”


text: Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.


text: Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).


text: The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX in reading בְּמִצְרָיִם ( bÿmitsrayim , “in Egypt”; so also NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT) rather than the MT reading בְּמִרְיָם ( bÿmiryam , “in their rebellion”).


text: The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד ( khesed , “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד ( vÿkhesed , “and loyal love”) of the MT.


text: Heb “great.”


text: Heb “did not turn from them by day to guide them in the path.”


text: The words “of the land” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Most Hebrew MSS read “the land of Sihon and the land of the king of Heshbon.” The present translation (along with NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, CEV, NLT) follows the reading of one Hebrew MS , the LXX, and the Vulgate.


text: Heb “the sons.”


text: Heb “they ate and were sated.” This expression is a hendiadys. The first verb retains its full verbal sense, while the second functions adverbially: “they ate and were filled” = “they ate until they were full.”


text: Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”


text: Heb “from the hand of” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “from the power of.”


text: Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”


text: Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5 .


text: Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”


text: Heb “they stiffened their neck.”


text: The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “did not give ear to.”


text: Heb “the peoples of the lands.”


text: Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. The second noun retains its full nominal sense, while the first functions adjectivally: “the covenant and loyalty” = covenant fidelity.


text: Heb “do not let it seem small in your sight.”


text: Heb “you have done truth.”


text: Heb “great.”


text: Heb “given them.”


text: Heb “given.”


text: The expression “to enjoy” is not included in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Heb “according to their desire.”


text: Heb “we are cutting.”


text: Heb “and writing.”


text: Heb “our leaders, our Levites, and our priests on the sealed document.” The Hebrew text is elliptical here; the words “have affixed their names” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. Cf. v. 2 .