Nehemiah 4:18-23

18 And the builders each man having his sword girt upon his loins, and so they built: and the trumpeter with his trumpet next to him.

19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work great and abundant, and we are dispersed upon the wall, each at a great distance from his brother.

20 In whatsoever place ye shall hear the sound of the cornet, thither gather yourselves together to us; and our God shall fight for us.

21 So we labouring at the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

22 And at that time I said to the people, Lodge ye every man with his servant in the midst of Jerusalem, and let the night be a watch-time to you, and the day a work-time.

23 And I was , and the watchmen behind me, and there was not a man of us that put off his garments.

Nehemiah 4:18-23 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.