Nehemiah 4:16-23

16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.

17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

18 As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter * stood near me.

19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.

20 "At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. ¹Our God will fight for us."

21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn * until the stars appeared.

22 At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day."

23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.

Nehemiah 4:16-23 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.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "he who sounded the trumpet"
• [b]. Lit "assemble yourselves"
• [c]. Lit "rising of the dawn"
• [d]. Lit "came out"