2tn The traditional understanding of the chapter and verse division here is probably incorrect. The final part of v. 73 is best understood as belonging with 8:1.

3tn Heb “like one man.”

4tn Heb “said [to].”

5tn Heb “from the light till the noon of the day.”

6tn Heb “all who could hear with understanding.” The word “children” is understood to be implied here by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, TEV, NLT).

7tn Heb “the ears of all the people were toward.”

8tn Heb “a tower of wood.”

9tn Heb “to the eyes.”

10tn Heb “it”; the referent (the book) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

11tc The MT reads “and the Levites.” The conjunction (“and”) should be deleted, following the LXX, Aquila, and the Vulgate. That the vav (ו) of the MT is the vav explicativum (“even the Levites”) is unlikely here.

12tn The exact meaning of the pual participle מְפֹרָשׁ (m˙forash) in this verse is uncertain. The basic sense of the Hebrew word seems to be “to make distinct.” The word may also have the sense of “to divide in parts,” “to interpret,” or “to translate.” The context of Neh 8:8 does not decisively clarify how the participle is to be understood here. It probably refers to the role of the Levites as those who explained or interpreted the portions of biblical text that had been publicly read on this occasion. A different option, however, is suggested by the translation distincte (“distinctly”) of the Vulgate (cf. KJV, ASV). If the Hebrew word means “distinctly” here, it would imply that the readers paid particular attention to such things as word-grouping and pronunciation so as to be sure that the listeners had every opportunity to understand the message that was being read. Yet another view is found in the Talmud, which understands translation of the Hebrew text into Aramaic to be what is in view here. The following explanation of Neh 8:8 is found in b. Megillah 3a: “‘And they read in the book, in the law of God’: this indicates the [Hebrew] text; ‘with an interpretation’: this indicates the targum; ‘and they gave the sense’: this indicates the verse stops; ‘and caused them to understand the reading’: this indicates the accentuation, or, according to another version, the Masoretic notes.” However, this ancient rabbinic view that the origins of the Targum are found in Neh 8:8 is debatable. It is not clear that the practice of paraphrasing the Hebrew biblical text into Aramaic in order to accommodate the needs of those Jews who were not at home in the Hebrew language developed this early. The translation of מְפֹרָשׁ adopted above (i.e., “explaining it”) understands the word to have in mind an explanatory function (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT) rather than one of translation.

13tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

14tc The unexpected reference to Nehemiah here has led some scholars to suspect that the phrase “Nehemiah the governor” is a later addition to the text and not original.

15tn Heb “the priest, the scribe.”

16tn Heb “the people.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.

17tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

18tn Heb “to send portions.”

19tn The Hebrew text does not include the phrase “with others” but it has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

20tn Heb “to make great joy.”

21tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

22tn Heb “were gathered to”; NAB, NIV “gathered around”; NRSV “came together to.”

23tn Heb “by the hand of.”

24tn Heb “a voice.”

25map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

26tn The words “these things” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

27tn Heb “the house.”

28tn Heb “And there was very great joy.”

29tn Heb “He”; the referent (Ezra) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

30tn Heb “the last day.”

31tn Heb “on the eighth day an assembly.” The words “they held” have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

32tn Heb “according to the judgment.”