OET interlinear NEH 11:25

uW Translation Notes:

וְ⁠אֶל

and=near/to

After describing the various groups that settled in Jerusalem and their leaders, the list said in 11:20 that all the other the Israelites continued to live in the other cities of Judah. In 11:21–24 the list gave additional details about some other things, but it is now returning to speak about those cities and towns outside of Jerusalem. If it would be helpful in your language, you could indicate this with a phrase such as “and as for”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הַ⁠חֲצֵרִ֖ים בִּ⁠שְׂדֹתָ֑⁠ם

the,villages in/on/at/with,fields,their

This refers to settlements and the adjacent agricultural land. It is as if the villages are in the fields because the fields surround the villages. Alternate translation: “the towns where there was farmland”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

הַ⁠חֲצֵרִ֖ים בִּ⁠שְׂדֹתָ֑⁠ם

the,villages in/on/at/with,fields,their

The implication is that these are the places where people lived who did not settle in Jerusalem. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “the towns outside Jerusalem where there was farmland”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

מִ⁠בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה

from=(the)_sons Yehuda

Sons here means “descendants.” Alternate translation: “some of the descendants of Judah” or “some of the people of Judah”

Note 4 topic: translate-names

בְּ⁠קִרְיַ֤ת הָֽאַרְבַּע֙ & וּ⁠בְ⁠דִיבֹן֙ & וּ⁠בִֽ⁠יקַּבְצְאֵ֖ל

in/on/at/with,Kiriath- -arba & and,in/on/at/with,Dibon & and,in/on/at/with,Jekabzeel

These are the names of three towns.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּ⁠קִרְיַ֤ת הָֽאַרְבַּע֙ וּ⁠בְנֹתֶ֔י⁠הָ וּ⁠בְ⁠דִיבֹן֙ וּ⁠בְנֹתֶ֔י⁠הָ וּ⁠בִֽ⁠יקַּבְצְאֵ֖ל וַ⁠חֲצֵרֶֽי⁠הָ

in/on/at/with,Kiriath- -arba and,villages,its and,in/on/at/with,Dibon and,villages,its and,in/on/at/with,Jekabzeel and,villages,its

In this context, referring to the daughters of a town is a figurative way of describing the small communities that have grown up around it. (These communities were likely started by people from the town, and they depended on the town the way a child depends on a parent.) Here and in verses 27, 28, 30, and 31, use whatever term would convey this concept most clearly in your language. But be careful to distinguish between this term and the one that is used generally for the places in this part of the list. For example, if you translate “daughters” as “villages,” then use a word like “town” for the places named on the list and other places that the list describes with the same word. Alternate translation: “in Kiriath Arba and its villages, in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and the surrounding towns.”