OET interlinear NEH 12:27

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-sequential

וּ⁠בַ⁠חֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם

and,in/on/at/with,dedication wall Yerushalayim

In this book, Nehemiah tells his personal story from 1:1 through 7:5. In that story, he explains how he was concerned not just to restore the city of Jerusalem physically by rebuilding its wall, but also to restore its population by bringing in people who were genuine Israelites, and to restore worship by making sure that the priests and Levites who were doing assigned tasks had dependable records of their ancestry. He includes the long series of lists from 7:6 through 12:26 to document that these priests, Levites, and Israelites had the lineage that the Law of Moses required. Now Nehemiah resumes his personal story, and he tells what he did next. He organized a worship ceremony to dedicate the city wall. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could put some introductory and transitional sentence here to show how the book is progressing. Alternate translation: “once we had brought many more Israelites to live in Jerusalem, and once we had established the priests and Levites in their tasks, we held a ceremony to dedicate the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וּ⁠בַ⁠חֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם

and,in/on/at/with,dedication wall Yerushalayim

The abstract noun dedication refers to the way the wall would be set apart for a special purpose. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind this word with a verb such as “set apart.” Alternate translation: “to set apart the wall of Jerusalem for a special purpose”

Note 3 topic: translate-symaction

וּ⁠בַ⁠חֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם

and,in/on/at/with,dedication wall Yerushalayim

Dedicating the wall was a symbolic way of dedicating, or rather rededicating, the entire city to the special purpose that God had chosen it for. The rebuilt wall now defined Jerusalem once again as a distinct place, the place from which God had chosen to start making himself famous throughout the world. Alternate translation: “to set apart the wall of Jerusalem for a special purpose, to show that God had set apart the city for a special purpose”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

בִּקְשׁ֤וּ אֶת־הַ⁠לְוִיִּם֙ מִ⁠כָּל־מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔⁠ם לַ⁠הֲבִיאָ֖⁠ם לִֽ⁠ירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לַ⁠עֲשֹׂ֨ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה

sought_out DOM the,Levites from=all places,their to=bring=them to,Jerusalem to,celebrate dedication

All their places means all the other places in the province of Judah besides Jerusalem where the Levites were living. As 11:20 explained, other than the people who agreed to settle in Jerusalem, all of the other Israelites, including the Levites, lived on their family properties in other cities and towns in the province of Judah. Alternate translation: “we brought the Levites back to Jerusalem from all the places where they were living so that they could take part in the dedication ceremony”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

בִּקְשׁ֤וּ

sought_out

They refers to the people who organized the dedication ceremony. Since Nehemiah is resuming his own story here, and since he was one of the organizers, If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this as “we.” “We” would not include the addressees, if your language makes that distinction.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

לַ⁠עֲשֹׂ֨ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה וְ⁠שִׂמְחָה֙ וּ⁠בְ⁠תוֹד֣וֹת

to,celebrate dedication and,gladness and,in/on/at/with,thanksgivings

Rejoicing and thanksgivings mean similar things. Together they describe how the Israelites would celebrate as they dedicated the completed wall. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these words. Alternate translation: “to lead a celebration to dedicate the wall,” otherwise “to celebrate the dedication by praising and thanking God”

וּ⁠בְ⁠שִׁ֔יר מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם נְבָלִ֥ים וּ⁠בְ⁠כִנֹּרֽוֹת

and,in/on/at/with,singing cymbals harps and,in/on/at/with,lyres

And with does not mean “in addition to,” but “by means of.” This next phrase provides further information about how the Levites would conduct the ceremony. Alternate translation: “with songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres”

Note 7 topic: translate-unknown

מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם

cymbals

These are two thin, round metal plates that are hit together to make a loud sound.

Note 8 topic: translate-unknown

נְבָלִ֥ים וּ⁠בְ⁠כִנֹּרֽוֹת

harps and,in/on/at/with,lyres

These are two different types of stringed instruments.