Nehemiah 9 translations notes

9.2  Seed in ylt & kjv  and "decendents" in the rest.  Wonder what the word is?
9.2  confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers...  What's the difference between the two words and why was each used where it was?
9.3  YLT has rise up and the rest have stand.  Hmmm
9.4-5  Who were these guys?  It there anybody interesting or is this another anon. list?
9.5  YLT thru ESV says bless the Lord and NIV and NLT say praise the Lord.  What's the word?
9.6  YLT and NASB  have bowing / bow down  and the rest have some form of worship.  It might reflect some conitation of the Heb word.
9.7  It is interesting that YLT has fix instead of choose like the rest.
9.8  This list of inhabitants leaves out the Hivites (De 7.1) which makes the list six instead of seven.  Hmmm
9.9  NIV has suffering and NLT has misery instead of suffering like the rest.
9.10  Older YLT, KJV, and NKJV have proudly and the newer translations say arrogantly.
9.10  NLT replaces name with reputation.
9.11  YLT, ESV--cast; KJV, NKJV--threw(est); NASB, NIV, NLT--hurled;  into the YLT--strong; KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, & NLT--mighty waters; NASB--raging;  I am not sure what strong or mighty waters are, but raging makes some sense.  This is a good word to check on.
9.13 YLT, KJV--right ordinances; NKJV, NASB--just ordinances; ESV--right rules; The NIV and NLT both group regulations and laws(NIV) / instructions (NLT) with common adjective(s).  I wonder if there is a gramatical reason for that.  YLT, KJV, NASB, NKJV, ESV all have good statutes.  The NIV and NLT also group decrees (instead of statutes) and commands together to be described by the adjective good.  Same question as above.  Also, I would love to know how the different versions decide how to choose the English words to translate these terms.
9.14  YTL, KJV, NASB, NKJV, ESV--statutes;  NIV, YLT--decrees;  and only the NLT varies from law(s) with the word instructions.
9.15  In the NASB, NKJV, ESV, and NIV it is told them (say to in YLT), but the KJV it is promised and the NLT says commanded.  The two variations are curious.
9.16 YLT, KJV, NKJV, and NLT have some form of proud.  NASB and NIV has arrogantly.  For some reason the ESV goes with presumptuously, which is an interesting choice.
9.16  YLT, KJV, NKJV, ESV, and NIV translate the Hebrew expression including the word neck (YLT, KJV, NKJV--harden; ESV, NIV--stiffen) and the NASB and NIV translate the meaning and use stubborn.
9.16  YLT, KJV--harken; NASB--listen; NLT-- pay no attention; NKJV--heed; ESV, NIV--obey.  It is curious when the translation break the normal literal to dynamic progression in the translation of a particular verse.
9.17 YLT, NASB, NIV, NLT--remember; KJV, NKJV, ESV--mindful of (which I prefer because of De 6 which ties remembering to keeping the commands)
9.17 YLT, KJV, NKJV, ESV, and NIV translate the Hebrew expression including the word neck (YLT, KJV, NKJV--harden; ESV, NIV--stiffen) and the NASB and NIV translate the meaning and use stubborn same as in verse 16.
9.17 YLT, KJV, NKJV--pardon instead of forgive like the rest.  I am thinking about the relationship between pardoning and forgiving.
9.17 YLT, KJV, NKJV, ESV, NLT--mericful instead of compassionate NASB, NIV.  I am pretty sure the Hebrew could go either way.  Why did the translators choose between the two for this verse.
9.17  YLT, KJV, NKJV--kindness; NASB--lovingkindness; ESV, NIV, NLT--love. I bet the NASB is right on the money here.
NIV--desert them; NLT--abandon them; the rest have forsake them.
9.19  This looks like one where you see the classic shift from literal to more dynamic in the translations.  YLT--despisings, KJV, NKJV--provocations; NASB, ESV, NIV, NLT--blasphemies
9.19  mercies and compassion follows the pattern in verse 9.17.
9.21 waxed old ... You gotta love the KJV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTYr3JuueF4
9.22  NLT clearifies the antecedent of them as your people, Israel.  I guess that I will check the NET Bible and then go with that.
9.23 KJV, NLT--promised instead of told in the other versions.  Is that interpretive or is there something in the Hebrew that hints at a promise. 
9.23  YLT, JKV, NKJV, ESV--mulitiplied; NASB, NIV, NLT--numerous Use one of the last three versions if you don't like math.
9.24 NIV says handed the Canaanites over to them instead of gave them [Canaanites} into their [Israel] hand like the rest of the translations (except NLT which punted).  I wonder if there is some question about the word hand in the Hebrew or if the NIV is just doing its thing?
9.25 This verse follows the repeated pattern from Deut 6.10-11.  YLT, KJV--fat land; NKJV, ESV--rich land; NASB, NIV, NLT--fertile land;  Even though fertile probably describe the meaning, I like the word picture from the Hebrew that comes through in the KJV.
9.25 grew or became fat in all the versions except for the health conscious NIV where they were well-nourished.
9.26  the cast your law of most of the versions is more compelling (and probably more literal) than put your law of the NIV.  I wonder there is textual support for NLT or if they are off the reservation on this one.
9.26  YLT, KJV, NKJV--testified against; NASB, NIV--admonished; ESV, NLT--warned.
9.26  despisings, provocations, and blasphemies like the pattern in verse 18.
9.27  YLT--adversaries, KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, NLT--enemies; NASB--oppressors who YLT--distressed; KJV--vexed; NASB, NKJV, NIV--oppressed; ESV, NLT--made them suffer 
9.27  YLT, NASB--distress; JKV, NKJV, NLT--trouble; ESV--suffering; NIV--oppressed.
9.27 mercy and compassion like in verse 17.
9.27 YLT, KJV, ESV--saviors; NASB, NKJV, NIV--deliverers; NLT--liberators
9.28  NLT were at peace instead of had rest.
9.28  YLT, NASB, NIV--ruled instead of the more Latin dominion of the KJV, NKJV, ESV
9.28  YLT, KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV--delivered; NASB, NLT--rescued;
9.28  again NASB and NIV with compassion and the rest with mercy
9.29 testified, admonished, and warned like in verse 26 except NIV which switched from admonished to warned.  I would love to know why.
9.29  YLT--give a refractory [ resisting control or authority] shoulder; (can't imagine why that didn't become the preferred translation :o) KJV--withdrew the shoulder; NASB, ESV--turned a stubborn shoulder; NKJV--shrugged their shoulders; [That is an interesting take on this expression.]  NIV, NLT--turned their backs;  This spread has all the signs of an obscure Hebrew expression or idiom.
9.29 YLT--hearkened; KJV, NKJV--hear; NASB, NIV, NLT--listen; ESV--obey  I suspect that the YLT will get the prize on this one.
9.30  YLT--drawest over them; JKV--forbear them; NASB, ESV--bore with them;  / NKJV, NIV, NLT--patient with them;
9.30  YLT, KJV, NASB, ESV--not give ear; NKJV, (NLT)--not listen; NIV--paid no attention
9.30 unlike verse 28, only the NASB stays with compassion.  So what happened to the NIV on this one?
9.31  YLT, KJV, NKJV--consume bases trans.; NASB, ESV--make an end; NIV, NLT--abandon  Hmmm, interesting differences
9.30 unlike verse 30, we are back to the pattern of verse 28 with compassion and mercy
9.32  It is interesting and maybe even noteworthy that he says since Assyria (who carried away Israel) instead of Babylon ( who conquered Jerusalem and Judah).
9.33  YLT, ESV--righteous; the rest have just.
9.33  YLT--truth; KJV--right; the rest have faithfully  (except NLT which has a different take with you gave us what we deserved)  KJV seems to be the odd one out on this one.
9.34  YLT, NASB, ESV, NIV--some form of attention; KJV--hearkened; NLT--listen
9.34  YLT, KJV, NKJV--testimonies; NASB--admonitions; ESV, NIV, NLT--warnings; 
9.34  YLT, KJV, NKJV--testified against; NASB--admonished; ESV, NIV--gave; NLT--AOL  It seems to get weaker the more dynamic the translations get.
9.25  YLT--abundant goodness; KJV, NASB, ESV, NIV--great goodness; NKJV--many good things; NLT--showered in goodness  The YLT, NKJV, and NLT seem to be more clear if they are correct, but it would not suprise me if the Hebrew is pretty vague here.
9.25  YLT, NASB, NIV--evil;  KJV, NKJV, ESV, NLT--wicked; Since these two word seem to be synonyms, how do you decide which you want to use?
9.36  YLT, KJV, NKJV--servants; NASB, ESV, NIV, NLT--slaves
9.36  YLT, KJV, ESV, NIV--good; ESV--good gifts; NIV--good things; NASB, NKJV--bounty
9.37  YLT, NASB, ESV, NIV--rule; KJV, NKJV--dominion; NLT--power;  I wonder why ESV switched from dominion, like in verse 28, to rule.
9.38  YLT, NASB, ESV, NLT translate seal as an adjective describing the document. KJV, NKJV, NIV translate it as a verb the princes, Levites, and priests did to it.