Nehemiah 4:15-23
New English Translation
15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters,[a] God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 16 From that day forward, half my men were doing the work and half were taking up spears,[b] shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people[c] of Judah 17 who were rebuilding the wall.[d] Those who were carrying loads did so[e] by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 18 The builders, to a man, had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter[f] remained with me.
19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding[g] and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we worked on,[h] with half[i] holding spears, from dawn till dusk.[j] 22 At that time I instructed[k] the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day.” 23 We did not change clothes[l]—not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water.[m]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 4:15 tn Heb “it was known to us.”
- Nehemiah 4:16 tc The MT reads “and spears.” The conjunction should be deleted.
- Nehemiah 4:16 tn Heb “all the house.”
- Nehemiah 4:17 tn The first words of v. 17, “who were rebuilding the wall,” should be taken with the latter part of v. 16.
- Nehemiah 4:17 tn Heb “were carrying loads.” The LXX reads ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois, “with weapons”).
- Nehemiah 4:18 tn Heb “the one blowing the shofar.”
- Nehemiah 4:19 tn Heb “much.”
- Nehemiah 4:21 tn Heb “and we were doing the work.”
- Nehemiah 4:21 tn Heb “half of them.”
- Nehemiah 4:21 tn Heb “from the coming up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.”
- Nehemiah 4:22 tn Heb “said [to].”
- Nehemiah 4:23 tn Heb “strip off our garments.”
- Nehemiah 4:23 tc Heb “a man, his weapon, the waters.” The MT, if in fact it is correct, is elliptical and difficult. Some scholars emend the MT reading הַמָּיִם (hammayim, “the waters”) to בִּמִנוֹ (bimino, “in his right hand”; cf. NAB, NRSV) or מִינוּ(י)הֵ (heminu, “they held on the right side”).
Nehemiah 4:15-23
World English Bible
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. 16 From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon. 18 Among the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me. 19 I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. 22 Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.” 23 So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.
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