Nehemiah 4:18

Nehemiah 4:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
• New International Version (NIV)and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

Context of Nehemiah 4:18

16After that day, half of my men continued to do the work on the wall. The other half carried spears, shields and bows. They also wore armour. The officers stood behind the people while they built the wall. 17The men who were carrying materials held them with one hand. They held a weapon in their other hand. All of the builders had swords tied on their belts while they were building. There was a man who would make a sound with his trumpet if there was danger. He stayed near me. 19I said to the leaders, the officers and all the people, ‘It is hard work and the wall is very long. So we are not working near to each other. 20When you hear the sound of the trumpet, come to join us here. Our God will fight on our behalf.’

Nehemiah 4:18 word by word

וְהַ֨בּוֹנִ֔ים אִ֥ישׁ חַרְבּ֛וֹ אֲסוּרִ֥ים עַל־מָתְנָ֖יו וּבוֹנִ֑ים וְהַתּוֹקֵ֥עַ בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖ר אֶצְלִֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• For the buildersבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• had his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• girdedאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
• by his sideמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
• And he that soundedתָּקַעtâqa‛ · to blowH8628
• the trumpetשֹׁפָרshôphâr shôphâr · trumpetH7782
• by meאֵ֫צֶל'êtsel · besideH681

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:18

• Numbers 10:9Use the trumpets to tell everyone when an enemy is attacking you in your own land. Make a sound with the trumpets to tell the people that they must fight the enemy. Then the Lord your God will hear and he will save you from your enemies.
• 2 Chronicles 13:12Listen to me! God himself is our leader. He is here to help us. His priests are ready to make a loud noise with their trumpets to start the battle against you. Israelite people, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors. You will not win the battle.’

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:18

• 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
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-19Nehemiah used the trumpeter to sound the alarm and direct workers to any part of the wall under attack.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 4:18

• Armies
• Prudence
• Trumpet

In the dictionaries

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

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