Nehemiah 4:13

Nehemiah 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

Context of Nehemiah 4:13

11And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.” 12So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.” Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14And 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.” 15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

Nehemiah 4:13 word by word

וָֽאַעֲמִ֞יד מִֽתַּחְתִּיּ֧וֹת לַמָּק֛וֹם מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י לַחוֹמָ֖ה בַּצְּחִיחִ֑ים וָֽאַעֲמִ֤יד אֶת־הָעָם֙ לְמִשְׁפָּח֔וֹת עִם־חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֛ם רָמְחֵיהֶ֖ם וְקַשְּׁתֹתֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore setעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: putH5975
• I in the lowerתַּחְתִּיtachtîy · lowerH8482
• placesמָקוֹםmâqôm mâqôm meqômâh meqômâh · placeH4725
• behindאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• on the higher placesצְחִיחִיtsechîychîy · higherH6708
• on the higher placesצְחִיחַtsechîyach · bareH6706
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• after their familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
• with their swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• their spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• and their bowsקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:13

• Genesis 32:13So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother:
• 2 Chronicles 32:2And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that his purpose was to make war against Jerusalem,
• Psalms 112:5A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
• Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
• 1 Corinthians 14:20Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
• Nehemiah 4:17Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.
• Ephesians 6:11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:13

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The lower places - The places where those within the walls had the least advantage of elevation, the naturally weak places, where an enemy was likely to make his attack.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. 13Nehemiah responded by placing armed guards at the weakest parts of the wall. He ensured that opponents outside could see the forces ready to defend the city.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 4:13

• Archery
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

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

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