Nehemiah 4:11-21

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know or see until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.
12 But it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt among them came, they advised us ten times of all the places from which they would come upon us.
13 Therefore, I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I set the people by families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 Then I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, Do not be afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15 And it came to pass when our enemies heard that we had understood it, God brought their counsel to nought, and we returned all of us to the wall, each one unto his work.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth that half of the young men wrought in the work, and the other half of them held spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the princes were behind all the house of Judah.
17 Those that built on the wall and those that bore burdens and those that laded wrought with one hand in the work and with the other held a weapon.
18 For the builders, each one had his sword girded by his side, and so they built. And he that sounded the shofar was by me.
19 And I said unto the principals and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
20 In whatever place that you hear the voice of the shofar, join us there; our God shall fight for us.
21 So we laboured in the work, and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

Nehemiah 4:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 4

This chapter relates, how the Jews, while building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no answer was returned but by prayer to God, and they went on notwithstanding in their work, Ne 4:1-6 and how that their enemies conspired against them, to hinder them by force of arms, Ne 4:7-12 to oppose which, both spiritual and temporal weapons were made use of, so that the work was still carried on, Ne 4:13-23.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010