For nobles, officials, and the rest of the people, see the discussion on Neh 2.16.

The work is great and widely spread: Great and widely spread is literally “great and expanded.” Nehemiah points to the work and describes it as “extensive and spread out” (New International Version) or “very spread out” (New Living Translation). Revised English Bible says “The work is great and extends over much ground.”

We are separated on the wall: Since the work was being done along the two and a half kilometers (a mile and a half) of the wall, the builders were far apart and could not easily be defended.

Far from one another means that there was a long distance between the people. Each person was far from his “brothers” (BNT) or from his “neighbour” (Revised English Bible).

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 .