OET interlinear NEH 12:1

uW Translation Notes:

וְ⁠אֵ֨לֶּה֙ הַ⁠כֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְ⁠הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָל֛וּ עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֖ל וְ⁠יֵשׁ֑וּעַ

and=these the,priests and,the,Levites which/who came_up with Zərubāⱱel son_of Shəʼaltiy\sup_ʼēl and,Jeshua

The implication of the list in verses 1–25 of this chapter is that the priests and Levites had dependable records of their ancestry. So when Nehemiah called them back into service for the dedication of the wall and the collection of offerings, as described in the rest of this chapter, he was employing the people with exactly the lineage that the law required. Throughout this book, Nehemiah stresses how he made sure that the people of Judah were not only organized and well-protected, but also obedient to the law. This is one more example of that latter concern. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “Here is a record that shows that the priests and Levites had dependable records of their ancestry. It begins with the priests who first returned to Judah with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, their governor, and with Joshua the high priest.”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

עָל֛וּ

came_up

As in 7:6 and 7:61, went up means “traveled from Babylon back to Judah,” since that involves going from a river valley up into the mountains. Alternate translation: “returned to Judah from Babylon”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֖ל

with Zərubāⱱel son_of Shəʼaltiy\sup_ʼēl

This was the man who led the first group of Jews who returned to the province of Judah about a hundred years before the time of Nehemiah. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate this more explicitly. Alternate translation: “under the leadership of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, their governor”

Note 3 topic: translate-names

עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֖ל

with Zərubāⱱel son_of Shəʼaltiy\sup_ʼēl

Zerubbabel is the name of a man, and Shealtiel is the name of his father.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠יֵשׁ֑וּעַ

and,Jeshua

This was the other leader of the first group of Jews who returned to the province of Judah. While Zerubbabel was the governor and civil authority, Joshua was the high priest and religious authority. Alternate translation: “and under the leadership of Joshua the high priest”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

שְׂרָיָ֥ה יִרְמְיָ֖ה עֶזְרָֽא

Sərā\sup_yāh Yirmə\sup_yāh/(Jeremiah) ˊEzrāʼ

The list now names the priests who returned to Judah in this first group. Alternate translation: “The priests were:”

Note 6 topic: translate-names

שְׂרָיָ֥ה יִרְמְיָ֖ה עֶזְרָֽא

Sərā\sup_yāh Yirmə\sup_yāh/(Jeremiah) ˊEzrāʼ

These are names of three men.