Nehemiah 4:11-21

11 And our enemies said, Know they not, and know they not, till we come into the middle of them, and slay them, and make the work to cease. (And our enemies said, Let them know nothing, until we suddenly come into their midst, and kill them all, and stop the work.)
12 Forsooth it was done, when [the] Jews came, that dwelled beside them, and said to us by ten times, from all places from which they came to us, (And it was done, that the Jews who lived beside them came, and told us ten times, that our enemies would soon be upon us, from all the places from which they had come to us,)
13 I ordained the people in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows, in a place behind the wall by compass. (and so I ordained the people in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows, in places all around behind the wall.)
14 I beheld, and rose, and said to the principal men, and magistrates, and to the other part of the common people, Do not ye dread of their face; but have ye mind of the great Lord, and fearedful, and fight ye for your brothers, and your sons, and your daughters, for your wives, and house(hold)s. (And I looked about, and rose up, and said to the leaders, and the magistrates, and to all the people, Do not ye fear them; but instead, think upon, or remember, the great and fearful Lord, and fight ye for your brothers, and your sons, and your daughters, and your wives, and your families, or your kinsmen.)
15 And it was done, when our enemies had heard that it was told to us, God destroyed their counsel; and then all we turned again to the walls, each man to his work. (And it was done, that our enemies heard that everything had been told to us, and so God destroyed their plans; and then we all returned to rebuilding the wall, each man to his own work.)
16 And it was done from that day, the half part of the young men made the work, and the half part was ready to battle; and (held) spears, and shields, and bows, and habergeons, and (the) princes after them, in all the house of men of Judah, (And so it was done from that day on, that half the young men did the work, and the other half were ready for battle, and held spears, and shields, and bows, and breastplates; and the leaders supported all the men of the house of Judah,)
17 building in the wall, and bearing burdens, and putting on; with their one hand they made the work, and with the other they held their sword. (who were rebuilding the wall. And for those carrying the loads, with their one hand they did the work, and with the other hand they held their sword.)
18 For each of the builders was girded with a sword upon his reins; and they builded the wall, and they sounded with clarions beside me. (And each of the builders was girded with a sword around his waist, as they rebuilt the wall. And the man who sounded with the trumpet was beside me.)
19 And I said to the principal men, and (to the) magistrates, and to the other part of the common people, The work is great and broad, and we be separated far in the wall, one from another; (And I said to the leaders, and the magistrates, and the rest of the people, The work is great and broad, or spread out, and we all be separated on the wall, one far from another);
20 therefore in whatever place that ye hear [the] sound of the trump (and so whenever ye hear the sound of the trumpet), run ye together thither to us; for our God shall fight for us.
21 And we ourselves shall make the work, and the half of us hold we spears, from the going up of the morrowtide till that [the] stars go out. (And so we did the work, and half of us held spears, from the rising of the morning sun until the stars came out.)

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.