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Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Nehemiah 4:17

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

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Prudence;   Thompson Chain Reference - Co-Operation;   Nehemiah;   Unity-Strife;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Jews, the;   Prudence;   Samaria, Modern;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Samaritans;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Nehemiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Armor;   Arms;   Jerusalem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Arms, Armor;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Burden;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Day;  

Parallel Translations

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.
Hebrew Names Version
They all built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
King James Version
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.
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 Century Version
who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and carried a weapon with the other.
New English Translation
who were rebuilding the wall. Those who were carrying loads did so by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon.
Amplified Bible
Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
New American Standard Bible
Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens carried with one hand doing the work, and the other keeping hold of a weapon.
World English Bible
They all built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
Geneva Bible (1587)
They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, and they that laded, did the worke with one hand, and with the other helde the sworde.
Legacy 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.
Contemporary English Version
who were rebuilding the wall. Everyone who hauled building materials kept one hand free to carry a weapon.
Complete Jewish Bible
I, my kinsmen, my servants and my bodyguards never took off our clothes, and everyone who went to get water took his weapon.
Darby 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
The builders and their helpers had their tools in one hand and a weapon in the other hand.
George Lamsa Translation
And those who bore burdens with those who were laden, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
Good News Translation
who were rebuilding the wall. Even those who carried building materials worked with one hand and kept a weapon in the other,
Lexham English Bible
The ones who were building the wall and the ones who carried the materials were carrying in one hand while doing the task, and with the other hand were grasping a weapon.
Literal Translation
the ones who built on the wall, and the ones who carried a burden; bearing with one of his hands, a worker in the work, and one, a holder of the weapon.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
which buylded on the wall, & bare burthes, from those that laded the. With one hande dyd they ye worke, and with the other helde they the weapen.
American Standard Version
They that 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;
Bible in Basic English
Those who were building the wall and those who were moving material did their part, everyone working with one hand, with his spear in the other;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They which buylded on the wall and they that bare burthens, and those that laded them, with one hande did euery one his worke, and with the other helde his weapon.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one that went to the water had his weapon.
King James Version (1611)
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, euery one with one of his hands wrought in the worke, and with the other hand held a weapon.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
even of them that were building the wall:—and those who carried the burdens were under arms: each with one hand wrought his work, and with the other held his dart.
English Revised Version
They that 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;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
bildynge in the wal, and berynge birthuns, and puttynge on; with her oon hond thei maden werk, and with the tother thei helden swerd.
Update Bible Version
They all built the wall and those that bore burdens loaded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
Webster's Bible Translation
They who built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, [every one] with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other [hand] held a weapon.
New King James Version
Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.
New Living Translation
who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.
New Life Bible
Those who were building the wall and those who carried loads did their work with one hand, and held something to fight with in the other hand.
New Revised Standard
who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They who were building at the wall and they who were carrying burdens, they who were lifting, each man , with his one hand, was working at the work, and, with the other, was grasping the 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.
Revised Standard Version
who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were laden in such a way that each with one hand labored on the work and with the other held his 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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Contextual Overview

16And from that day on, half of my men 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 trumpet, 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 brothers nor my men nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bare burdens: Nehemiah 4:10

every one: That is, he had his arms at hand; and was as fully prepared to fight as to work. The builders could not possibly have made any progress, if they had literally held a weapon in one of their hands; but the expression is evidently figurative, implying that every man was a much a soldier as a builder.

with one: Daniel 9:25, 1 Corinthians 9:12, 1 Corinthians 16:9, 1 Corinthians 16:13, 2 Corinthians 6:7, Ephesians 6:11-20, Philippians 1:28, 2 Timothy 2:3, 2 Timothy 4:7

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 4:13 - in the lower places Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Joel 2:8 - sword

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:11
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Genesis 5:18
When Jared was 162 years old, he became the father of Enoch.
Genesis 5:22
And after he had become the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 11:4
"Come," they said, "let us build for ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens, that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of all the earth."
2 Samuel 18:18
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King's Valley, for he had said, "I have no son to preserve the memory of my name." So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.
Psalms 49:11
Their graves are their eternal homes-their dwellings for endless generations-even though their lands were their namesakes.
Daniel 4:30
the king exclaimed, "Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ver. 17 They which builded on the wall,.... That laid the mortar and stones upon it, and timber where it was necessary:

and they that bore burdens; that carried the mortar, stones, and timber to the builders, and served them:

with those that laded; which prepared the above for them, and laid them on their shoulders:

everyone with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon; which is not to be understood strictly and literally, for without both hands they could not well perform either of the above works; but proverbially, signifying that they were intent on both working and fighting, and were ready and prepared to do the latter, as well as the former, having weapons lying by them, or girt about them, as is explained in the following verse.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. With one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. — That is, he had his arms at hand, and was as fully prepared to fight as to work. So OVID, Epist. xi., Canace Macario, ver. 1: -

Si qua tamen caecis errabunt scripta lituris,

Oblitus a dominae caede libellus erit:

Dextra tenet calamum; strictum tenet altera ferrum:

Et jacet in gremio charta soluta meo.

If streaming blood my fatal letter stain,

Imagine, ere you read, the writer slain.

One hand the sword, and one the pen employs,

And in my lap the ready paper lies. DRYDEN.


By this mode of speech Canace does not intimate to her brother Macarius, that she actually held the sword in one hand while she held the pen in the other, but that she had it ready to slay herself as soon as she had written the epistle.


 
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