The Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic and Latin that is transliterated “Levites” in English (only the Contemporary English Version translates it as “temple helpers”) is translated in Ojitlán Chinantec as “temple caretakers,” Yatzachi Zapotec as “people born in the family line of Levi, people whose responsibility it was to do the work in the important church of the Israelites,” in Alekano as “servants in the sacrifice house from Jerusalem place,” and in Tenango Otomi as “helpers of priests.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
In American Sign Language with a sign that combines “temple” + “servant.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Levite” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 7:1:
Kupsabiny: “Then after we had completed building that wall and fixing shutters/doors in the gates, I appointed gatekeepers and musicians/dancers from the clan of Levi.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “When the stone-wall of the city had-been-finished now, and its doors had- now -set-up, the guards were-positioned in their obligation at the entrance/gate of the temple, the singers in the temple, and the Levites.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “After the wall had been finished and we had put the gates in their places, we assigned to the temple guards and to the members of the sacred choir and the other descendants of Levi the work that they were to do.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Now when: This verse begins with the same temporal construction in Hebrew as in Neh 6.16. It indicates the beginning of an important new episode. This temporal construction introduces what took place when the wall had been completed. Two acts are mentioned: the setting up of the doors and the assigning of certain people to special tasks. The rebuilding of the wall was considered completed when the doors had been set up in the gates of the city (see Neh 3.1). It is not clear in the Hebrew text where the main clause begins. It can begin in the second part of this verse with the first of the three appointments (so Contemporary English Version, New International Version), or it can begin with verse 2 with the appointments made personally by Nehemiah (so Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, New English Bible). This Handbook recommends that verse 1 be made a separate sentence as in Good News Translation. Translators should note the sequence of events in this verse. The events in the first clause or the first two clauses take place before the event in the main clause. Events that occur previously to the event in the main clause are described with the pluperfect tense in English. Translators in some languages will need to specify the chronology to make clear the correct sequence of events.
The gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites: The gatekeepers and the singers were categories of Levites who had specialized duties (see Ezra 2.40-42). Normally, the gatekeepers guarded the gates to the Temple, but here they appear to have responsibility for the gates of the city. One commentator has suggested that “for Ezra-Nehemiah the house of God has been expanded as far as the city wall. Therefore those usually assigned to the Temple entrance are now appointed to guard the wall” (Eskenazi, page 85). It is not clear what is the relationship of the appointment of the singers and the Levites to the completion of the wall and the hanging of the doors in the city gates. Some commentators have suggested that these words have been copied from a marginal note referring to verse 43 below. This is the reason why some versions omit these words (so Revised English Bible) or enclose them in parentheses (so New Jerusalem Bible). But others suggest that all three groups were called up to guard the gates of the city. This would be similar to Neh 13.22 where Levites are to guard the city gates. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project supports their inclusion with an A rating and they should be included by translators. Good News Translation refers to the Levites as “the other Levites,” but most versions say “the Levites” as Revised Standard Version has done.
Had been appointed renders a Hebrew verb that is used for “muster” or “call up.” Here it occurs in the passive form and therefore it does not specify who appointedthe gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites. What it does indicate is that these people were summoned for duty.
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 .
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