Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, July 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Nehemiah 4:13

And I appoint at the lowest of the places, at the back of the wall, in the clear places, yea, I appoint the people, by their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

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

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gerusia;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set [there] the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
New Century Version
So I put people behind the lowest places along the wall—the open places—and I put families together with their swords, spears, and bows.
New English Translation
So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.
Amplified Bible
So I stationed armed men behind the wall in the lowest places, at the open positions [where it was least protected]; and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows.
New American Standard Bible
then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows.
World English Bible
Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set [there] the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall vpon the toppes of the stones, & placed the people by their families, with their swordes, their speares and their bowes.
Legacy Standard Bible
that I had men stand in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I had the people stand by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
Berean Standard Bible
So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
Contemporary English Version
and so I sent people to guard the wall at its lowest places and where there were still holes in it. I placed them according to families, and they stood guard with swords and spears and with bows and arrows.
Complete Jewish Bible
I said to the nobles, the leaders and the rest of the people, "This is a great work, and it is spread out; we are separated on the wall, one far from another.
Darby Translation
I set in the lower places behind the wall in exposed places, I even set the people, according to their families, with their swords, their spears and their bows.
Easy-to-Read Version
So I put some of the people behind the lowest places along the wall, and I put them by the holes in the wall. I put families together, with their swords, spears, and bows.
George Lamsa Translation
And they have already come and are standing behind the wall to fight against you with their arrows; so I divided the force after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Good News Translation
So I armed the people with swords, spears, and bows, and stationed them by clans behind the wall, wherever it was still unfinished.
Lexham English Bible
I stationed the people behind the deepest part of the wall in the open places according to their families, with their swords, spears, and bows.
Literal Translation
So I stationed from the lowest parts of the place, from the back of the wall, in the higher places; even, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
then set I the people after their kynreds with their swerdes, speares & bowes beneth in the lowe places behynde the wall,
American Standard Version
Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Bible in Basic English
So in the lowest part of the space at the back of the walls, in the open places, I put the people by families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therefore set I the people after their kinredes, with their swordes, speares, and bowes, beneath in the lowe places behinde the wall vpon the toppes of the stones.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people: 'The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another;
King James Version (1611)
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I euen set the people, after their families, with their swords, their speares, and their bowes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So I set men in the lowest part of the place behind the wall in the lurking-places, I even set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
English Revised Version
Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, In the open places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y ordeynede the puple in ordre, with her swerdis, and speris, and bouwis, in a place bihynde the wal bi cumpas.
Update Bible Version
Therefore I set in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set [there] the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore I set 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.
New King James Version
Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
New Living Translation
So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.
New Life Bible
So I put men in the lowest parts of the places behind the wall, in the open places. I put the people in place by their families with their swords, spears and bows.
New Revised Standard
So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So I set - on the lower slopes of the place behind the wall in the waste grounds, - yea I set the people, by their families, with their swords, their spears and their bows.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.
Revised Standard Version
So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
THE MESSAGE
So I stationed armed guards at the most vulnerable places of the wall and assigned people by families with their swords, lances, and bows. After looking things over I stood up and spoke to the nobles, officials, and everyone else: "Don't be afraid of them. Put your minds on the Master, great and awesome, and then fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows.

Contextual Overview

7 And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, that lengthening hath gone up to the walls of Jerusalem, that the breeches have begun to be stopped, then it is very displeasing to them, 8 and they conspire, all of them together, to come in to fight against Jerusalem, and to do to it injury. 9 And we pray unto our God, and appoint a watch against them, by day and by night, because of them. 10 And Judah saith, `The power of the burden-bearers hath become feeble, and the rubbish [is] abundant, and we are not able to build on the wall.' 11 And our adversaries say, `They do not know, nor see, till that we come in to their midst, and have slain them, and caused the work to cease.' 12 And it cometh to pass, when the Jews have come who are dwelling near them, that they say to us ten times from all the places whither ye return -- [they are] against us. 13 And I appoint at the lowest of the places, at the back of the wall, in the clear places, yea, I appoint the people, by their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I see, and rise up, and say unto the freemen, and unto the prefects, and unto the rest of the people, `Be not afraid of them; the Lord, the great and the fearful, remember ye, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.' 15 And it cometh to pass, when our enemies have heard that it hath been known to us, and God doth frustrate their counsel, and we turn back, all of us, unto the wall, each unto his work;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Therefore: Genesis 32:13-20, 2 Chronicles 32:2-8, Psalms 112:5, Matthew 10:16, 1 Corinthians 14:20

in the lower places: Heb. from the lower parts of the place, etc. their swords. Nehemiah 4:17, Nehemiah 4:18, Song of Solomon 3:7, Song of Solomon 3:8, Ephesians 6:11-20

Cross-References

Job 15:22
He believeth not to return from darkness, And watched [is] he for the sword.
Revelation 16:9
and men were scorched with great heat, and they did speak evil of the name of God, who hath authority over these plagues, and they did not reform -- to give to Him glory.
Revelation 16:11
and they did speak evil of the God of the heaven, from their pains, and from their sores, and they did not reform from their works.
Revelation 16:21
and great hail (as of talent weight) doth come down out of the heaven upon men, and men did speak evil of God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague is very great.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall,.... Where the wall was lowest, and the enemy could more easily break it down, or get over it:

and on the higher places; where the wall was higher; or rather on the towers upon the walls, as the word signifies the tops of rocks, which are dry and smooth, see Ezekiel 24:2.

I even set the people after their families; according to their rank, number, strength, and valour:

with their swords, their spears, and their bows; with weapons they could use both near, and at a distance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The lower places - The places where those within the walls had the least advantage of elevation, the naturally weak places, where an enemy was likely to make his attack.


 
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