The next sections of the wall were built by priests. Good News Translation therefore includes a section heading to indicate that the next verses from 22 to 26 identify the “Priests Who Worked on the Wall.” This heading should be similar to the heading at verse 17 above.

The men of the Plain: The text does not specify which Plain they were from and Revised Standard Version translates without specifying it (also Segond). The Hebrew word means “district” as in Neh 12.28, where it obviously means “district,” “area,” or “region” (Revised Standard Version “circuit”). Therefore many versions interpret it here to mean the rural area around Jerusalem (so Good News Translation). They were from the “surrounding region” (New International Version) or from the “vicinity” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Some commentators suggest that this reference may be to the plain of the Jordan River. Translators may render the whole phrase as “the priests from the surrounding area.” They may also add a footnote to explain that it is not clear what is meant by “the surrounding area.”

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 .