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

19And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye there to us: our God shall fight for us. So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour in the day. 23So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, except that every one put them off for washing.

Nehemiah 4:21 word by word

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

• labouredעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
• heldחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• spearsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
• risingעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: dawnH5927
• morningשַׁ֫חַרshachar · dawnH7837
• starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
• appearedיָצָאyâtsâ' · 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 which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
• Galatians 6:9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
• Colossians 1:29For which I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

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