Nehemiah 4:17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,

◄ Nehemiah 4:17 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,

English Standard Version
who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.

New American Standard Bible
Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

King James Bible
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

International Standard Version
who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other.

American Standard Version
They all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens, and that laded: with one of his hands he did the work, and with the other he held a sword.

Darby Bible Translation
They that built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that loaded, wrought in the work with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.

Young's Literal Translation
The builders on the wall, and the bearers of the burden, those lading, each with one of his hands is working in the business, and one is laying hold of the missile.

Cross References

Nehemiah 4:13
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.

Nehemiah 4:16
And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants worked 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.

Nehemiah 4:18
For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

Psalm 149:6
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand;

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

4:16-23 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, when those who labour in it, make a business of it. And Satan fears to assault the watchful Christian; or, if attacked, the Lord fights for him. Thus must we wait to the close of life, never putting off our armour till our work and warfare are ended; then we shall be welcomed to the rest and joy of our Lord.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

Ne 4:7-23. He Sets a Watch.

7-21. 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 measures for ensuring the common safety, as well as the uninterrupted building of the walls. Hitherto the governor, for the sake of despatch, had set all his attendants and guards on the work—now half of them were withdrawn to be constantly in arms. The workmen labored with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other; and as, in so large a circuit, they were far removed from each other, Nehemiah (who was night and day on the spot, and, by his pious exhortations and example, animated the minds of his people) kept a trumpeter by his side, so that, on any intelligence of a surprise being brought to him, an alarm might be immediately sounded, and assistance rendered to the most distant detachment of their brethren. By these vigilant precautions, the counsels of the enemy were defeated, and the work was carried on apace. God, when He has important public work to do, never fails to raise up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Nehemiah, who, to great natural acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion, He provided a leader, whose high qualities fitted him for the demands of the crisis. Nehemiah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again "a city fortified."