New English Translation
Nehemiah 4:14
14When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”
Nehemiah 4:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
- New International Version (NIV)After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to 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, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Context of Nehemiah 4:14
12So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us. 13So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!” 15It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 16From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people of Judah
Read all of Nehemiah 4Nehemiah 4:14 word by word
וָאֵ֣רֶא וָאָק֗וּם וָאֹמַ֞ר אֶל־הַחֹרִ֤ים וְאֶל־הַסְּגָנִים֙ וְאֶל־יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם אַל־תִּֽירְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת־אֲדֹנָ֞י הַגָּד֤וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא֙ זְכֹ֔רוּ וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֗וּ עַל־אֲחֵיכֶם֙ בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֔ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֖ם וּבָתֵּיכֶֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- and rose upקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
- and to the rulersסָגָןsâgân · rulerH5461
- and to the restיֶ֫תֶרyether · remainderH3499
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- Be not ye afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- of themפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
- rememberזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- and terribleיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
- and fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
- for your brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- your sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and your daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- your wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- and your housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:14
- Numbers 14:9Only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection has turned aside from them, but the Lord is with us. Do not fear them!”
- Deuteronomy 1:21Look, he has placed the land in front of you! Go up, take possession of it, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to do. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”
- Deuteronomy 20:3“Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them,
- Joshua 1:9I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:15He said: “Pay attention, all you people of Judah, residents of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of this huge army! For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
- 2 Chronicles 32:7“Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him.
- Psalms 27:1The Lord delivers and vindicates me! I fear no one! The Lord protects my life! I am afraid of no one!
- Psalms 46:11The Lord who commands armies is on our side! The God of Jacob is our protector! (Selah)
- Isaiah 41:10Don’t be afraid, for I am with you! Don’t be frightened, for I am your God! I strengthen you – yes, I help you – yes, I uphold you with my saving right hand!
- Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Hebrews 13:6So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
- Psalms 20:7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God.
- Psalms 77:10Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One might become inactive.
- Psalms 143:5I recall the old days; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on your accomplishments.
- Isaiah 51:12“I, I am the one who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?
- Isaiah 63:11His people remembered the ancient times. Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea, along with the shepherd of his flock? Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them,
Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Be not ye afraid of them - Are they more terrible or stronger than God? Fight for your brethren - Your own countrymen, who worship the same God, and are come from the same stock; your sons, whom they wish to slay or lead into captivity; your daughters and wives, whom they wish to deflower and defile; and your houses, which they wish to seize and occupy as their own. They had every thing at stake; and therefore they must fight pro aris et focis, for their…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. 14The greatest reason for hope was Israel’s powerful and glorious God, who had saved them from strong nations before (compare 2 Chronicles 32:7–8; Exodus 14:13–14; Deuteronomy 8:1–3; 20:3; Joshua 10:25). Another reason was to protect their families and properties.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 4:14
In the dictionaries
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
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