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

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!” 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. From 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 17who were rebuilding the wall. Those who were carrying loads did so by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass from that timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• the halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
• of my servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• in the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• of them heldחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• both the spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• the shieldsמָגֵןmâgên meginnâh · shieldH4043
• and the bowsקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• and the habergeonsשִׁרְיוֹןshiryôn shiryân shiryâh shiryônâh · armorH8302
• and the rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• all the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:16

• Nehemiah 4:23We did not change clothes – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water.
• Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.
• Psalms 101:6I will favor the honest people of the land, and allow them to live with me. Those who walk in the way of integrity will attend 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