These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem: The chiefs, which is literally “heads,” refers to leaders of the province of Judah in all the categories that are listed in verses 4-24. This introductory statement is followed by an explanatory comment before the actual listing begins in the following verse. Good News Translation therefore restructures this verse so that this introduction immediately precedes the listing in the next verse, and translators may find it helpful to follow this example.

Some commentators interpret the statement from but in the towns of Judah in this verse to “of the sons of Benjamin” in the next verse as being parenthetical. New International Version indicates this interpretation by placing it in parentheses (compare Contemporary English Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). The Hebrew text indicates a contrast in this parenthetical statement: “but [though] in the towns … And [yet] in Jerusalem….” The purpose of this statement is to indicate that there were people still living outside Jerusalem even though the leaders of all the groups of people lived in Jerusalem.

Every one lived on his property means that they lived on the land inherited by their family in their tribal area. It is better to translate “all lived on their property” as in New Revised Standard Version since this also included the women.

Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants: The order of the categories of people is the same as in Ezra 2 and Neh 7. Israel refers to the lay people of Israel. The other categories all refer to people related to the Temple. For information about priests, Levites, temple servants and Solomon’s servants, see the comments on Ezra 2.36-58.

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 .