OET interlinear NEH 9:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠יָּ֜קָם עַֽל־מַֽעֲלֵ֣ה הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֗ם יֵשׁ֨וּעַ וּ⁠בָנִ֜י קַדְמִיאֵ֧ל שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה בֻּנִּ֥י שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה בָּנִ֣י כְנָ֑נִי

and=he/it_rose_up on/upon stairs_of the,Levites Yēshūˊa/(Jeshua) and,Bani Qadmī\sup_ʼēl Shəⱱan\sup_yāh Bunniy Shērēⱱə\sup_yāh Bānī Kənānī/(Chenani)

The name of the stairs suggests that the men listed were Levites. That is, they were descendants of Levi who had the special assignment of helping the priests. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could suggest this in your translation. Alternate translation: “Eight Levites named Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani climbed up the stairs leading to the platform”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

וַ⁠יָּ֜קָם עַֽל־מַֽעֲלֵ֣ה הַ⁠לְוִיִּ֗ם

and=he/it_rose_up on/upon stairs_of the,Levites

In context, the stairs of the Levites seem to be stairs that led up to the platform that was built for the occasion described in chapter 8, or to another platform or platforms similar to it that allowed religious leaders to be seen and heard during large gatherings. The stairs likely had this name because they enabled the Levites to move back and forth from up on the platform to down among the people. Here, they also serve as a raised platform of their own on which the Levites can stand and be seen and heard. Alternate translation: “climbed up onto the stairs to the platform” or “the stairs that had been built for the Levites”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וַ⁠יָּ֜קָם עַֽל

and=he/it_rose_up on/upon

Rose up in this context seems to mean that these men climbed up onto the stairs and stood on them. Alternate translation: “climbed up onto”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-time-simultaneous

וַ⁠יָּ֜קָם

and=he/it_rose_up

It seems that in this verse the story is describing something that happened during the second three-hour period, at the same time as the people were praying and confessing. You could indicate this with an introductory phrase. Alternate translation: “While the people were doing this”

Note 5 topic: translate-names

יֵשׁ֨וּעַ וּ⁠בָנִ֜י קַדְמִיאֵ֧ל שְׁבַנְיָ֛ה בֻּנִּ֥י שֵׁרֵבְיָ֖ה בָּנִ֣י כְנָ֑נִי

Yēshūˊa/(Jeshua) and,Bani Qadmī\sup_ʼēl Shəⱱan\sup_yāh Bunniy Shērēⱱə\sup_yāh Bānī Kənānī/(Chenani)

These are the names of eight men.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַֽ⁠יִּזְעֲקוּ֙ בְּ⁠ק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵי⁠הֶֽם

and,cried_out in/on/at/with,voice big/great to/towards YHWH God_of,their

The implication is that they did this to offer public prayers of confession on behalf of the people, and perhaps also to guide the people to pray themselves on particular topics. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “They prayed to Yahweh their God on behalf of the people, speaking loudly so that everyone could hear them.”