OET interlinear NEH 11:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רָאשֵׁ֣י הַ⁠מְּדִינָ֔ה

heads_of the,province

Head here is a figurative way of saying leader. Alternate translation: “provincial leaders”

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

וּ⁠בְ⁠עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה

and,in/on/at/with,towns_of Yehuda

This sentence explains a contrasting idea before the story goes on to develop the idea that the previous sentence introduces. This chapter is a list of the provincial leaders, priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple servants, and singers who lived in Jerusalem. The previous sentence introduces the first part of that list, but before the list gives the names of the provincial leaders, it explains that most of the people who had returned to the province of Judah kept on living on their ancestral lands in other cities and towns. You could begin this sentence with a word like “but” to indicate this contrast.

וּ⁠בְ⁠עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֗ה & בְּ⁠עָ֣רֵי⁠הֶ֔ם

and,in/on/at/with,towns_of Yehuda & in/on/at/with,towns_of,their

These two phrases mean the same thing and you do not need to repeat both of them if that would be confusing for your readers.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

אִ֤ישׁ בַּ⁠אֲחֻזָּת⁠וֹ֙

(a)_man in/on/at/with,property_of,his_own

In this context, a man means “each person,” and the expression may be understood to indicate “each family.” Alternate translation: “each family on its own property”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל

Yisrael

Here the list refers to all of the Israelites as if they were a single person, their ancestor, Israel. Alternate translation: “the Israelites”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

וְ⁠הַ⁠נְּתִינִ֔ים

and,the,temple_servants

As in 3:26, the term Nethinim describes servants who worked in the temple. Alternate translation: “the temple servants”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠בְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה

and=the_sons servants_of Shəlomoh's

Sons means “descendants.” Alternate translation: “the descendants of the laborers who had worked for the kingdom”

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

עַבְדֵ֥י שְׁלֹמֹֽה

servants_of Shəlomoh's

As in 7:57, this phrase refers to people whom Solomon first conscripted as laborers. They and their descendants remained conscripted laborers under later kings. Review the note to 7:57 if that would be helpful. Alternate translation: “laborers who had worked for the kingdom”