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parallelVerse INT GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1SA 2SA PSA AMOS HOS 1KI 2KI 1CH 2CH PRO ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC GAL 1TH 2TH 1COR 2COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1TIM TIT 1PET 2PET 2TIM HEB YUD 1YHN 2YHN 3YHN REV
Neh Intro C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13
Neh 2 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20
Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV) When Sanvallat the Horonite and the servant Toviyyah the Ammonite heard my plans, they were very angry that someone would come to help the Israelis.
OET-LV and_he/it_listened Şanⱱallaţ the_Ḩōrōnite and_Ţōⱱiyyāh the_official the_ˊAmmōnī and_displeased to/for_them displeasure great (cmp) he_had_come someone to_seek good of_people of_Yisrāʼēl/(Israel).
UHB וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֗י וְטֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָעֶ֣בֶד הָֽעַמֹּנִ֔י וַיֵּ֥רַע לָהֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אָדָ֔ם לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ‡
(vayyishmaˊ şanⱱallaţ haḩoroniy vəţōⱱiyyāh hāˊeⱱed hāˊammoniy vayyēraˊ lāhem rāˊāh gədolāh ʼₐsher-bāʼ ʼādām ləⱱaqqēsh ţōⱱāh liⱱənēy yisrāʼēl.)
Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXX No BrLXX NEH book available
BrTr And Sanaballat the Aronite heard it, and Tobia the servant, the Ammonite, and it was grievous to them that a man was come to seek good for the children of Israel.
ULT And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite, heard. And it was evil to them, a great evil, that someone had come to seek good for the sons of Israel.
UST One of the people I showed my letters to was Sanballat the Horonite. He was the governor of Samaria, the area right next to Judah. He and his deputy, Tobiah the Ammonite, became very upset when they learned that someone had come to help the people of Israel. They did not want to see Judah become strong again, because that would be a threat to Samaria.
BSB § But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
OEB And when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah, the Ammonite slave, heard of it, it troubled them exceedingly, that one had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.
WEBBE When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, because a man had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
WMBB (Same as above)
NET When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard all this, they were very displeased that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites.
LSV and Sanballat the Horonite hears, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and it is evil to them—a great evil—that a man has come to seek good for the sons of Israel.
FBV But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were upset. For them this was a total disaster—that someone had arrived to help out the Israelites.
T4T But when two government officials, Sanballat from a village near Horon and Tobiah from the Ammon people-group, heard that I had arrived, they were very angry that someone had come to help the Israeli people.
LEB But when Sanballat the Horonite and the Ammonite servant Tobiah heard this, they were greatly displeased[fn] that a person had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.[fn]
¶
BBE And Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, hearing of it, were greatly troubled because a man had come to the help of the children of Israel.
Moff No Moff NEH book available
JPS And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
ASV And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
DRA And Sanaballat the Horonite, and Tobias the servant, the Ammonite, heard it, and it grieved them exceedingly, that a man was come, who sought the prosperity of the children of Israel.
YLT and Sanballat the Horonite heareth, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and it is evil to them — a great evil — that a man hath come in to seek good for the sons of Israel.
Drby And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there had come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
RV And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
Wbstr When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it , it grieved them exceedingly that there had come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
KJB-1769 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
KJB-1611 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the seruant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieued them exceedingly, that there was come a man, to seeke the welfare of the children of Israel.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)
Bshps Sanaballat also the Horonite, and Tobia a seruaunt the Ammonite hearde of it, & it greeued them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.
(Sanaballat also the Horonite, and Tobia a servant the Ammonite heard of it, and it greeued them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.)
Gnva But Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah a seruant an Ammonite heard it, and it grieued them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel.
(But Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah a servant an Ammonite heard it, and it grieved them sore, that there was come a man which sought the wealth of the children of Israel. )
Cvdl But whan Saneballath the Horonite, & Tobias the seruaunt of the Ammonites herde yt, it greued them sore, yt there was come a man which soughte the welth of the children of Israel.
(But when Saneballath the Horonite, and Tobias the servant of the Ammonites heard yt, it greued them sore, it there was come a man which soughte the welth of the children of Israel.)
Wycl And Sanaballath Oronythes, and Tobie, the seruaunt Amanytes, herden, and thei weren soreuful bi greet turment, for a man was comun, that souyte prosperite of the sones of Israel.
(And Sanaballath Oronythes, and Tobie, the servant Amanytes, heard, and they were soreuful by great turment, for a man was comun, that souyte prosperite of the sons of Israel.)
Luth Da aber das hörete Saneballat, der Horoniter, und Tobia, ein ammonitischer Knecht, verdroß es sie sehr, daß ein Mensch kommen wäre, der Gutes suchte für die Kinder Israel.
(So but the heard Saneballat, the/of_the Horoniter, and Tobia, a ammonitischer Knecht, verdroß it they/she/them sehr, that a person coming wäre, the/of_the Goodness suchte for the children Israel.)
ClVg Et audierunt Sanaballat Horonites, et Tobias servus Ammanites: et contristati sunt afflictione magna, quod venisset homo qui quæreret prosperitatem filiorum Israël.[fn]
(And audierunt Sanaballat Horonites, and Tobias servus Ammanites: and contristati are afflictione magna, that had_come human who quæreret prosperitatem of_children Israel. )
2.10 Et audierunt. Contristantur hæretici, etc., usque ad et eos, qui peccando erraverunt, pœnitendo redire cognoscunt.
2.10 And audierunt. Contristantur hæretici, etc., until to and them, who peccando erraverunt, pœnitendo redire cognoscunt.
2:10 Some of the local, non-Jewish officials were very displeased because rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem would change the balance of political power in favor of the Jews.
• Sanballat was the main leader of opposition to Nehemiah’s rebuilding efforts.
• the Horonite: He was probably from Upper or Lower Horon (Beth-horon, Josh 16:3), approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of Jerusalem. Sanballat’s name might indicate that he was a descendant of the Assyrian people imported by Sargon II after the fall of Samaria (2 Kgs 17:24). A document discovered in Egypt indicates that he eventually became governor of Samaria in 408 BC.
Dealing with Conflict
God’s people often have to deal with conflict, either from those outside the community who are opposed to God and his purposes or from those inside the community who cause strife and division. Dealing with conflict requires a great deal of wisdom and tact, as even the smallest conflicts can turn disastrous. Paul faced opposition from government (Acts 16:22-24) and community leaders (Acts 19:23-34). Moses dealt with the grumbling and dissatisfied people of Israel (e.g., Exod 17:1-4). The book of Nehemiah provides perhaps the most comprehensive example of how a godly person can respond to conflict.
Nehemiah faced both external and internal opposition to all that God was directing him to do. External opposition came from foreigners such as Sanballat, Geshem, and Tobiah. They fiercely opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls and mocked Nehemiah’s leadership (Neh 2:10, 2:19; 4:1-3). The opposition gradually grew to include other Arabs, Ammonites, and people from Ashdod, who plotted to attack the builders (4:7-9, 11). To meet this opposition, Nehemiah posted guards, prayed for God’s help, developed an emergency warning system, and kept working (4:6-23). Israel’s frustrated enemies made several attempts to disgrace or kill Nehemiah (6:1-14). However, Nehemiah had the wisdom to avoid or frustrate their plots while focusing on the task God had given him.
Nehemiah also faced internal problems. Wealthy Jews were mistreating the poor by charging high interest (5:1-13). Jews had married foreigners who worshiped other gods (13:23-30). Many were not tithing or keeping the Sabbath holy (10:31-39; 13:10-22). Finally, he had to oppose the priest Eliashib, who had allowed Tobiah to use one of the Temple storerooms (13:4-9). Confronting these problems required a firm commitment to the principles explained in Scripture, boldness in insisting that people follow these divine instructions, and compassion in restoring people to fellowship after the confrontation.
In each of these cases, Nehemiah courageously followed the example of earlier leaders such as Moses, who opposed the worship of the gold calf (Exod 32); Samuel, who opposed those involved with Baal worship (1 Sam 7:3-8); Nathan, who opposed David’s sins (2 Sam 12:1-14); and Jehoshaphat, who trusted in God to defeat a much stronger enemy (2 Chr 20:1-37). Like these earlier men of God, Nehemiah took a stand for what was right instead of letting those for whom he was responsible go their own ways. He refused to be discouraged or intimidated by internal difficulties or external threats against him. He consistently depended on God for wisdom and for blessing on his work.
Jesus and Paul both outlined some strategies for dealing with internal conflict (Matt 5:23-26; 18:15-17; 1 Cor 6:1-8; 10:23-33) and external conflict (Matt 5:43-47; Rom 12:14-21). Unfortunately, the actions of believers, no matter how upstanding, will sometimes be met with continued—or even increased—opposition. Nonetheless, we are called to handle opposition in a way similar to Nehemiah—with wisdom, patience, prayer, and resolve.
Passages for Further Study
Gen 13:5-13; 26:12-35; Exod 32:1-35; 1 Sam 7:3-8; 2 Sam 12:1-31; 19:41-43; 2 Chr 20:1-37; 34:3-7; Neh 2:19-20; 4:1-23; 5:1-13; 6:1-14; 13:4-28; Ps 140:1-2; Prov 13:10; 17:14, 19; 25:8; 26:17, 21; 29:22; Hab 1:3; Acts 23:6-11; 2 Cor 7:5-6; Eph 6:10-18; Phil 2:3; 1 Tim 6:4; 2 Tim 2:14, 23-26; Titus 2:15; Jas 3:13-18
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
וַיִּשְׁמַ֞ע סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֗י וְטֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָעֶ֣בֶד הָֽעַמֹּנִ֔י
and=he/it_listened Şanⱱallaţ the,Horonite and,Tobiah the,official the,Ammonite
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria, the area right next to Judah. So he was one of the people Nehemiah would have shown a letter from the king authorizing his trip. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “This was how Sanballat the Horonite and his deputy Tobiah the Ammonite learned”
Note 2 topic: translate-names
סַנְבַלַּ֣ט הַחֹרֹנִ֗י
Şanⱱallaţ the,Horonite
Sanballat is the name of a man, and Horonite is the name of his people group.
Note 3 topic: translate-names
וְטֽוֹבִיָּה֙ & הָֽעַמֹּנִ֔י
and,Tobiah & the,Ammonite
Tobiah is the name of a man, and Ammonite is the name of his people group. Tobiah’s name occurs over a dozen times in the book of Nehemiah. It will be helpful to your readers if you translate it consistently each time.
וְטֽוֹבִיָּה֙ הָעֶ֣בֶד
and,Tobiah the,official
From the role that Tobiah plays in the book, this phrase seems to indicate that he was the official who served directly under Sanballat. Alternate translation: “Tobiah, his deputy”
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
וַיֵּ֥רַע לָהֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אָדָ֔ם לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
and,displeased to/for=them displeased greatly which/who he/it_came humankind to,seek welfare of,people Yisrael
The implication is that Sanballat and Tobiah did not want to see Judah become strong again because that would be a threat to the power and influence of Samaria. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly.
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
וַיֵּ֥רַע לָהֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה
and,displeased to/for=them displeased greatly
Here evil means “bad,” so this expression is the opposite of “if it is good to you” in 2:5 and 2:7. Alternate translation: “They thought it was a bad thing, a very bad thing”
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
וַיֵּ֥רַע לָהֶ֖ם רָעָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה
and,displeased to/for=them displeased greatly
These two short phrases mean almost the same thing. Nehemiah uses them together for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: “they became very upset” or “they did not like it at all”
Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom
אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א אָדָ֔ם לְבַקֵּ֥שׁ טוֹבָ֖ה לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
which/who he/it_came humankind to,seek welfare of,people Yisrael
To seek good for means “to help.” Alternate translation: “that someone had come to help the people of Israel”
Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations
לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל
of,people Yisrael
As in 1:6, sons means “descendants.” Alternate translation: “the people of Israel”