Nehemiah 4:21

Nehemiah 4:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
• New International Version (NIV)So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.

Context of Nehemiah 4:21

19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall. 20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” 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 4:21 word by word

וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּמְּלָאכָ֑ה וְחֶצְיָ֗ם מַחֲזִיקִים֙ בָּֽרְמָחִ֔ים מֵעֲל֣וֹת הַשַּׁ֔חַר עַ֖ד צֵ֥את הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• So weאֲנַ֫חְנוּ'ănachnû · weH587
• continuedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• while half ofחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
• heldחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• from the breakעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: dawnH5927
• of dawnשַׁ֫חַרshachar · dawnH7837
• untilעַד‛ad · tillH5704
• the starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
• came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:21

• 1 Corinthians 15:10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
• Galatians 6:9Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
• Colossians 1:29To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:21

• 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 4:21

• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Armour
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Appear
• Day and Night
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Jerusalem
• Morning

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