15 The reference to daughters, while not impossible, is odd in light of the cultural improbability that young women would participate in the strenuous labor of rebuilding city walls. All other such references in the Book of Nehemiah presuppose male laborers. Not surprisingly, some scholars suspect a textual problem. One medieval Hebrew and the read וּבָנָיו (uvanayv, “and his sons”) rather than the reading וּבְנוֹתָיו (uvénotayv, “and his daughters”). Some scholars emend the to וּבֹנָיו (uvonayv, “and his builders”). On the other hand, the is clearly the more difficult reading, and so it is preferred.

In other versions

Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repaired, he and his daughters.

Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters.

Beside him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs—he and his daughters.

Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section. He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem.

Next to him Shallum son of Hallohesh, commander of half of the district of Jerusalem, repaired with his daughters.

And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

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