Nehemiah 4:9-21
prayed <06419> [Nevertheless.]
stationed ... guard <04929 05975> [set a watch.]
strength <03581> [The strength.]
laborers <05449> [bearers.]
aware <03045> [They shall not.]
repeatedly <06471 06235> [ten times.]
schemes <04725> [From all places, etc. or, That from all places ye must return to us. ye shall return.]
Houbigant, Michaelis, and Dathe contend, that instead of {tashoovoo,} "ye shall return," we should read {chashevoo,} "they designed."
So ... stationed ............... stationed <05975> [Therefore.]
lower places <04725 08482> [in the lower places. Heb. from the lower parts of the place, etc. their swords.]
[Be ye not afraid.]
Remember <02142> [remember.]
great <01419> [great.]
fight <03898> [fight.]
God <0430> [God.]
each <0376> [every one.]
men <05288> [my servants.]
half .......... half <02677> [and the other half.]
This is no unusual thing in Palestine, even at the present day; people sowing their seed are often attended by armed men, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of it.
body armor <08302> [habergeons.]
{Habergeon,} from the Teutonic {hals,} the neck, and {bergen,} to cover, defend, may be considered as signifying a breast-plate, though the Franco-Gallic {hautbergon} signifies a coat of mail; the original {shiryon,} we have already seen, denotes a corslet.
carrying loads <05447 05375> [bare burdens.]
one ........ other <0259> [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.
one ........ other <0259> [with one.]
sides <04975> [by his side. Heb. on his loins. he that sounded.]
God <0430> [our God.]
<06213> [So we.]
