Nehemiah 4:10

Nehemiah 4:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
• New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)In Judah it was said, "The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

Context of Nehemiah 4:10

8When I looked things over, I rose up and said to the nobles, the rulers and the rest of the people, “Do not 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 homes.” 9Now when our enemies heard that their plan was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my men were doing the work, while half of them took hold of the spears, shields, bows and breastplates, and the leaders were behind the entire house of Judah. 11Those building the wall and those bearing heavy burdens kept one hand on the work and the other holding a weapon. 12So each of the builders had his sword strapped to his side while they were building, and the shofar blower was beside me.

Nehemiah 4:10 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוּדָ֗ה כָּשַׁל֙ כֹּ֣חַ הַסַּבָּ֔ל וְהֶעָפָ֖ר הַרְבֵּ֑ה וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ לֹ֣א נוּכַ֔ל לִבְנ֖וֹת בַּחוֹמָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The strengthכֹּחַkôach kôach · strengthH3581
• of the bearers of burdensסַבָּלsabbâl · burdenH5449
• is decayedכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
• muchרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• rubbishעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• so that we are not ableיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
• to buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:10

• Numbers 13:31But the men who had gone up with him said, “We cannot attack these people, because they are stronger than we.”
• Numbers 32:9They went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, but they discouraged the hearts of Bnei-Yisrael not to enter the land which Adonai had given them.
• Psalms 11:1For the music director, a psalm of David. In Adonai I have taken shelter. How can you say to my soul: “Fly like a bird to your mountain?
• Haggai 1:2“Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: ‘This people say the time has not come—the time for the House of Adonai to be rebuilt.’”
• Ezekiel 29:18“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head became bald and every shoulder chafed. But he and his army had no profit from Tyre for the labor that he had expended against it.”

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed - They worked both day and night, scarcely ever putting off their clothes, except for the purpose of being washed, Nehemiah 4:21, Nehemiah 4:23. Much rubbish - The ruins they were obliged to clear away, before they could dig the foundation for a new wall: and in this labor they were nearly exhausted; see Nehemiah 5:15.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
• 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

In the dictionaries

• Judah
• Armour
• Sanballat
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Decay
• Esdras, the First Book of

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