Nehemiah

Nehemiah 4:16–21

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.

Read all of Nehemiah 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Nehemiah 4:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And	וַיְהִ֣י׀	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
that	הַה֗וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day on	הַיּ֣וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
half	חֲצִ֣י	ḥă·ṣî	Noun - masculine singular construct	H2677 half
of my servants	נְעָרַי֮	nə·‘ā·ray	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H5288 a shaking, scattering
did	עֹשִׂ֣ים	‘ō·śîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H6213 do, make
the work	בַּמְּלָאכָה֒	bam·mə·lā·ḵāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
while the other half	וְחֶצְיָ֗ם	wə·ḥeṣ·yām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2677 half
held	מַחֲזִיקִים֙	ma·ḥă·zî·qîm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
spears	וְהָרְמָחִ֣ים	wə·hā·rə·mā·ḥîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7420 spear, lance
shields	הַמָּגִנִּ֔ים	ham·mā·ḡin·nîm	Article; Noun - common plural	H4043 shield
bows	וְהַקְּשָׁת֖וֹת	wə·haq·qə·šā·ṯō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H7198 bow
and armor	וְהַשִּׁרְיֹנִ֑ים	wə·haš·šir·yō·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8302 body-armour
The officers	וְהַ֨שָּׂרִ֔ים	wə·haś·śā·rîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8269 chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince
behind	אַחֲרֵ֖י	’a·ḥă·rê	Preposition	H310 behind
all	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the people	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of Judah	יְהוּדָֽה׃	yə·hū·ḏāh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah

Nehemiah 4:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
who were rebuilding	הַבּוֹנִ֧ים	hab·bō·w·nîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1129 build
the wall	בַּחוֹמָ֛ה	ba·ḥō·w·māh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2346 wall
The laborers who carried	וְהַנֹּשְׂאִ֥ים	wə·han·nō·śə·’îm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5375 lift, take, carry
materials	בַּסֶּ֖בֶל	bas·se·ḇel	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5447 load, burden
worked	עֹשֶׂ֣ה	‘ō·śeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
with one	בְּאַחַ֤ת	bə·’a·ḥaṯ	Preposition-b; Number - feminine singular construct	H259 one
hand	יָדוֹ֙	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and held	מַחֲזֶ֥קֶת	ma·ḥă·ze·qeṯ	Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singular	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
a weapon	הַשָּֽׁלַח׃	haš·šā·laḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7973 missile, weapon, sprout
with the other	וְאַחַ֖ת	wə·’a·ḥaṯ	Conjunctive waw; Number - feminine singular	H259 one

Nehemiah 4:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And each	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
of the builders	וְהַ֨בּוֹנִ֔ים	wə·hab·bō·w·nîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1129 build
worked	וּבוֹנִ֑ים	ū·ḇō·w·nîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1129 build
with his sword	חַרְבּ֛וֹ	ḥar·bōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2719 sword
strapped	אֲסוּרִ֥ים	’ă·sū·rîm	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural	H631 tie, bind, imprison
at	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
his side	מָתְנָ֖יו	mā·ṯə·nāw	Noun - masculine dual construct; third person masculine singular	H4975 waist, loins
But the trumpeter	וְהַתּוֹקֵ֥עַ	wə·hat·tō·w·qê·a‘	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H8628 thrust, clap, give a blow, blast
stayed beside me	אֶצְלִֽי׃	’eṣ·lî	Preposition; first person common singular	H681 conjunction, proximity

Nehemiah 4:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then I said	וָאֹמַ֞ר	wā·’ō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the nobles	הַחֹרִ֤ים	ha·ḥō·rîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H2715 noble
the officials	הַסְּגָנִים֙	has·sə·ḡā·nîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H5461 prefect, ruler
and the rest	יֶ֣תֶר	ye·ṯer	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3499 remainder, excellence, excess
of the people	הָעָ֔ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
The work	הַמְּלָאכָ֥ה	ham·mə·lā·ḵāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
great	הַרְבֵּ֖ה	har·bêh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
and extensive	וּרְחָבָ֑ה	ū·rə·ḥā·ḇāh	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - feminine singular	H7342 wide, broad
and we	וַאֲנַ֗חְנוּ	wa·’ă·naḥ·nū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common plural	H587 we
are spread out	נִפְרָדִים֙	nip̄·rā·ḏîm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H6504 divide
far	רְחוֹקִ֖ים	rə·ḥō·w·qîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H7350 distant, far
from one	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
another	מֵאָחִֽיו׃	mê·’ā·ḥîw	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother
along	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the wall	הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה	ha·ḥō·w·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2346 wall

Nehemiah 4:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Wherever	בִּמְק֗וֹם	bim·qō·wm	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4725 standing, spot, condition
you hear	תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙	tiš·mə·‘ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H8085 hear
the sound	ק֣וֹל	qō·wl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6963 sound, voice
of the horn	הַשּׁוֹפָ֔ר	haš·šō·w·p̄ār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7782 horn
rally	תִּקָּבְצ֣וּ	tiq·qā·ḇə·ṣū	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural	H6908 gather, collect
to us	אֵלֵ֑ינוּ	’ê·lê·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H413 motion to
there	שָׁ֖מָּה	šām·māh	Adverb; third person feminine singular	H8033 there, thither
Our God	אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ	’ĕ·lō·hê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H430 God
will fight	יִלָּ֥חֶם	yil·lā·ḥem	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3898 fight, do battle
for us	לָֽנוּ׃	lā·nū	Preposition; first person common plural

Nehemiah 4:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So we	וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ	wa·’ă·naḥ·nū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common plural	H587 we
continued	עֹשִׂ֣ים	‘ō·śîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H6213 do, make
the work	בַּמְּלָאכָ֑ה	bam·mə·lā·ḵāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
while half of	וְחֶצְיָ֗ם	wə·ḥeṣ·yām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2677 half
held	מַחֲזִיקִים֙	ma·ḥă·zî·qîm	Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
spears	בָּֽרְמָחִ֔ים	bā·rə·mā·ḥîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7420 spear, lance
from the break	מֵעֲל֣וֹת	mê·‘ă·lō·wṯ	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
of dawn	הַשַּׁ֔חַר	haš·ša·ḥar	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H7837 dawn
until	עַ֖ד	‘aḏ	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
the stars	הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃	hak·kō·w·ḵā·ḇîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3556 star
came out	צֵ֥את	ṣêṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3318 go or come out

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Nehemiah 4:16 Nehemiah 4:23

Nehemiah 4:17 2 Timothy 2:3 · 2 Timothy 4:7 · 2 Corinthians 6:7 · Ephesians 6:11–20 · 1 Corinthians 16:13 · 1 Corinthians 16:9 · Philippians 1:28

Nehemiah 4:18 2 Chronicles 13:12–17 · Numbers 10:9

Nehemiah 4:20 Exodus 14:14 · Deuteronomy 20:4 · Deuteronomy 1:30 · Joshua 23:10 · Deuteronomy 3:22 · Zechariah 14:3 · Exodus 14:25

Nehemiah 4:21 Galatians 6:9

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.