The enemies all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it, that is, to spread disruptive and frightening propaganda that would cause confusion. “To plot” is to make an evil plan together, usually in secret.

The Hebrew word rendered confusion means “harm,” “trouble,” or “calamity.” Many versions render this word as Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation have done (also New American Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Revised English Bible). For to cause confusion, Contemporary English Version says “to stir up trouble” and Nouvelle Bible Segond says “to cause damage” (also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

In it in Hebrew is in the masculine form while Jerusalem or city would require the feminine form. Some commentators suggest that “in it” is a scribal mistake in place of “to us” or “to me,” referring to Nehemiah. New Jerusalem Bible therefore renders cause confusion in it as “upset my plans,” that is, Nehemiah’s plans. However, Revised Standard Version and many other versions understand the reference to be to the city, either as in it (also New American Standard Bible) or “against it” (New International Version), and this is supported by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project with a B rating. Several versions omit the reference thereby leaving it ambiguous as Good News Translation has done (also Contemporary English Version, New English Bible, New King James Version ), and this is recommended to translators.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .