Nehemiah 4:13

Nehemiah 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

Context of Nehemiah 4:13

11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.” 12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

Nehemiah 4:13 word by word

וָֽאַעֲמִ֞יד מִֽתַּחְתִּיּ֧וֹת לַמָּק֛וֹם מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י לַחוֹמָ֖ה בַּצְּחִיחִ֑ים וָֽאַעֲמִ֤יד אֶת־הָעָם֙ לְמִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת עִם־חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֛ם רָמְחֵיהֶ֖ם וְקַשְּׁתֹתֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• So I stationedעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: putH5975
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the lowestתַּחְתִּיtachtîy · lowerH8482
• sectionsמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• of the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• at the vulnerable areasצְחִיחִיtsechîychîy · higherH6708
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• themעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• by familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
• withעִם‛im · withH5973
• their swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• and bowsקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:13

• Genesis 32:13Jacob spent the night there, and from what he had brought with him, he selected a gift for his brother Esau:
• 2 Chronicles 32:2When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to make war against Jerusalem,
• Psalms 112:5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
• Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
• Nehemiah 4:17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
• Ephesians 6:11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The lower places - The places where those within the walls had the least advantage of elevation, the naturally weak places, where an enemy was likely to make his attack.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 The hindering good work is what bad men aim at, and promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light, and so of bringing to nought, the devices and designs of his church's enemies. If our enemies cannot frighten us from duty, or deceive us into sin, they cannot hurt us. Nehemiah put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. It was the way of this good man, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Nehemiah responded by placing armed guards at the weakest parts of the wall. He ensured that opponents outside could see the forces ready to defend the city.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-237-21. But ... when Sanballat ... heard that the walls ... were made up, and ... the breaches ... stopped--The rapid progress of the fortifications, despite all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy. So they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their works, and disperse or intimidate the builders. The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 4:13

• Archery
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Armour
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Jerusalem
• spear, spearmen

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings