Focused Passage

Nehemiah 4:15-23

Opposition Intensifies as the People Pray, Watch, and Continue the Work

Mockery turns to threat, threat exposes weakness and fear, and Nehemiah leads the people to pray, post guards, remember the Lord, protect their families, and continue rebuilding with tools and weapons in hand.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

16And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah

17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.

20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

21So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

22At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”

23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

-וַיְהִ֞יH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularWhenכַּֽאֲשֶׁר־H834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeour enemiesאוֹיְבֵ֙ינוּ֙H341Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralheardשָׁמְע֤וּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthatכִּי־H3588Conjunctionwe were awareנ֣וֹדַֽעH3045Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularof their schemeעֲצָתָ֑םH6098Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluraland that Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhad frustrated itוַיָּ֥פֶרH6565Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulareachכֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙H3605Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common pluralof us returnedוַנָּשׁוּבH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common pluraltoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis ownאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularworkמְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃H4399Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularonאֶל־H413Prepositionthe wallהַ֣חוֹמָ֔הH2346Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Andוַיְהִ֣י׀H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthatהַה֗וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singularday onהַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singularhalfחֲצִ֣יH2677Noun - masculine singular constructof my servantsנְעָרַי֮H5288Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singulardidעֹשִׂ֣יםH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthe workבַּמְּלָאכָה֒H4399Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularwhile the other halfוְחֶצְיָ֗םH2677Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralheldמַחֲזִיקִים֙H2388Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralspearsוְהָרְמָחִ֣יםH7420Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine pluralshieldsהַמָּגִנִּ֔יםH4043Article | Noun - common pluralbowsוְהַקְּשָׁת֖וֹתH7198Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine pluraland armorוְהַשִּׁרְיֹנִ֑יםH8302Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine pluralThe officersוְהַ֨שָּׂרִ֔יםH8269Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural[stationed themselves] behindאַחֲרֵ֖יH310Prepositionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe peopleבֵּ֥יתH1004Noun - masculine singular constructof Judahיְהוּדָֽה׃H3063Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

who were rebuildingהַבּוֹנִ֧יםH1129Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthe wallבַּחוֹמָ֛הH2346Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularThe laborers who carriedוְהַנֹּשְׂאִ֥יםH5375Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralmaterialsבַּסֶּ֖בֶלH5447Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .עֹמְשִׂ֑יםH6006Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralworkedעֹשֶׂ֣הH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .בַמְּלָאכָ֔הH4399Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularwith oneבְּאַחַ֤תH259Preposition-b | Number - feminine singular constructhandיָדוֹ֙H3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularand heldמַחֲזֶ֥קֶתH2388Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singulara weaponהַשָּֽׁלַח׃H7973Article | Noun - masculine singularwith the otherוְאַחַ֖תH259Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

And eachאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularof the buildersוְהַ֨בּוֹנִ֔יםH1129Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralworkedוּבוֹנִ֑יםH1129Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralwith his swordחַרְבּ֛וֹH2719Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularstrappedאֲסוּרִ֥יםH631Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluralatעַל־H5921Prepositionhis sideמָתְנָ֖יוH4975Noun - masculine dual construct | third person masculine singularBut the trumpeterוְהַתּוֹקֵ֥עַH8628Conjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular. . .בַּשּׁוֹפָ֖רH7782Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularstayed beside meאֶצְלִֽי׃H681Preposition | first person common singular
Verse 19

Original words

Then I saidוָאֹמַ֞רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe noblesהַחֹרִ֤יםH2715Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .וְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionthe officialsהַסְּגָנִים֙H5461Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .וְאֶל־H413Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand the restיֶ֣תֶרH3499Noun - masculine singular constructof the peopleהָעָ֔םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularThe work [is]הַמְּלָאכָ֥הH4399Article | Noun - feminine singulargreatהַרְבֵּ֖הH7235Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absoluteand extensiveוּרְחָבָ֑הH7342Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine singularand weוַאֲנַ֗חְנוּH587Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common pluralare spread outנִפְרָדִים֙H6504Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine pluralfarרְחוֹקִ֖יםH7350Adjective - masculine pluralfrom oneאִ֥ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularanotherמֵאָחִֽיו׃H251Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularalongעַל־H5921Prepositionthe wallהַ֣חוֹמָ֔הH2346Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 20

Original words

Whereverבִּמְק֗וֹםH4725Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct-אֲשֶׁ֤רH834Pronoun - relativeyou hearתִּשְׁמְעוּ֙H8085Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerthe soundק֣וֹלH6963Noun - masculine singular constructof the hornהַשּׁוֹפָ֔רH7782Article | Noun - masculine singularrallyתִּקָּבְצ֣וּH6908Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralto usאֵלֵ֑ינוּH413Preposition | first person common pluralthereשָׁ֖מָּהH8033Adverb | third person feminine singularOur Godאֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּH430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluralwill fightיִלָּ֥חֶםH3898Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfor usלָֽנוּ׃Preposition | first person common plural
Verse 21

Original words

So weוַאֲנַ֖חְנוּH587Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common pluralcontinuedעֹשִׂ֣יםH6213Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralthe workבַּמְּלָאכָ֑הH4399Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singularwhile half of [the men]וְחֶצְיָ֗םH2677Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine pluralheldמַחֲזִיקִים֙H2388Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine pluralspearsבָּֽרְמָחִ֔יםH7420Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralfrom the breakמֵעֲל֣וֹתH5927Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructof dawnהַשַּׁ֔חַרH7837Article | Noun - masculine singularuntilעַ֖דH5704Prepositionthe starsהַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃H3556Article | Noun - masculine pluralcame outצֵ֥אתH3318Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 22

Original words

At thatהַהִיא֙H1931Article | Pronoun - third person feminine singulartimeבָּעֵ֤תH6256Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singularI alsoגַּ֣םH1571Conjunctionsaidאָמַ֣רְתִּיH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularto the peopleלָעָ֔םH5971Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularLet every manאִ֣ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularand his servantוְנַעֲר֔וֹH5288Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularspend the nightיָלִ֖ינוּH3885Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralinsideבְּת֣וֹךְH8432Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םH3389Noun - proper - feminine singularso that they can standוְהָֽיוּ־H1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common pluralguardמִשְׁמָ֖רH4929Noun - masculine singularby nightהַלַּ֛יְלָהH3915Article | Noun - masculine singularand workמְלָאכָֽה׃H4399Noun - feminine singularby dayוְהַיּ֥וֹםH3117Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

So neither Iאֲנִ֜יH589Pronoun - first person common singular-וְאֵ֨יןH369Conjunctive waw | Adverbnor my brothersוְאַחַ֣יH251Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularnor my servantsוּנְעָרַ֗יH5288Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular. . .וְאַנְשֵׁ֤יH376Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural constructnor the guardsהַמִּשְׁמָר֙H4929Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֣רH834Pronoun - relativewith meאַחֲרַ֔יH310Preposition | first person common singular. . .אֵין־H369Adverb. . .אֲנַ֥חְנוּH587Pronoun - first person common pluralchanged out ofפֹשְׁטִ֖יםH6584Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralour clothesבְּגָדֵ֑ינוּH899Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common pluraleachאִ֖ישׁH376Noun - masculine singularcarried his weaponשִׁלְח֥וֹH7973Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular[even to go] for waterהַמָּֽיִם׃סH4325Article | Noun - masculine plural

BSB notes

  • Or each carried his weapon in his right hand

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.