Nehemiah 4:16

Nehemiah 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
• New International Version (NIV)From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah
• English Standard Version (ESV)From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah,
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.

Context of Nehemiah 4:16

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. And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. 18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

Nehemiah 4:16 word by word

וַיְהִ֣י׀ מִן־הַיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חֲצִ֣י נְעָרַי֮ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּמְּלָאכָה֒ וְחֶצְיָ֗ם מַחֲזִיקִים֙ וְהָרְמָחִ֣ים הַמָּגִנִּ֔ים וְהַקְּשָׁת֖וֹת וְהַשִּׁרְיֹנִ֑ים וְהַ֨שָּׂרִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֖י כָּל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Andהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• fromמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• thatהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• day onיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
• of my servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• heldחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• shieldsמָגֵןmâgên meginnâh · shieldH4043
• bowsקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• and armorשִׁרְיוֹןshiryôn shiryân shiryâh shiryônâh · armorH8302
• The officersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:16

• Nehemiah 4:23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.
• Nehemiah 5:15The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.
• Psalms 101:6My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Half - wrought in the work - This is no unusual thing, even in the present day, in Palestine: people sowing their seed are often attended by an armed man, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of their seed, which they will not fail to do if not protected. Habergeons - In the Franco-Gallic, hautbergon signifies a coat of mail; but as in Teutonic hais signifies the neck, and bergen, to cover or defend; it may be considered rather as signifying a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Habergeons - Or, “coats of mail.” Coats of mail were common in Assyria from the ninth century B.C., and in Egypt even earlier. They were made of thin laminae of bronze or iron, sewn upon leather or linen, and overlapping one another.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 We must watch always against spiritual enemies, and not expect that our warfare will be over till our work is ended. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand, and never to have to seek for it, either in our labours, or in our conflicts, as Christians. Every true Christian is both a labourer and a soldier, working with one hand, and fighting with the other. Good work is likely to go on with success…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 4:16

• Prudence
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Judah, kingdom of Judah
• Judea, Judah
• Armour
• Coat of mail
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Armor; Arms
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Jerusalem
• Ruler

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