Nehemia 2:3
Konteks2:3 I replied to the king, “O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors 1 lies desolate and its gates destroyed 2 by fire?”
Nehemia 5:9
Konteks5:9 Then I 3 said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! 4 Should you not conduct yourselves 5 in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?
[2:3] 1 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 5).
[2:3] 2 tn Heb “devoured” or “eaten” (so also in Neh 2:13).
[5:9] 3 tc 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”).
[5:9] 4 tn 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.