From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon. Among the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me. I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and large, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.”
So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv16, 20 To oversee them and to encourage them to their…
To oversee them and to encourage them to their work.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv16–22 Neh 4:16 And it came to pass from that…
Neh 4:16 And it came to pass from that time forth, [that] the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers [were] behind all the house of Judah.
Ver. 16. And it came to pass from that time forth] As it is told of that peerless Queen Elizabeth, that in times of greatest peace she ever made preparation for war; so did this incomparable Nehemiah; still fearing some new practice, and not knowing what those restless cads were even now a hammering.
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That the half of my servants wrought in the work] No servants they were for Nehemiah, if they would not work. He was an active man himself, trading every talent; and those about him must all be active. One would wonder how this courtier should become on the sudden so cunning a soldier, and should marshal his men so skilfully, setting the younger before to bear the brunt of the battle, and the elders behind to direct and encourage, according to that of the poet,
Eογα νεων, βουλαι τ ανδρων, ευχαι τε γεροντων.
But it was his God that instructed him to this discretion, and taught him, Isa 28:26, and he might well break out and sing, with David, "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight," Psa 144:1. Quando Christus Magister, quam cito dicitur quod docetur? saith Austin. God’s scholars must needs be exact in a short space.
And the habergeons] These were armour for back and breast. In the Christian armour there is no mention of armour for the back, though there is for the breast, because a Christian soldier should never flee, but be like Androclid, whom, when one derided, because, being lame, he went into the war, he answered merrily, that he came thither to fight, not to run away.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 22 From that time forth, lest our enemies should repeat…
From that time forth, lest our enemies should repeat their enterprise.
The half of my servants; of my domestic servants, and of my guards, who should have attended upon my own person.
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The spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons, i.e. all their weapons; they stood in their arms prepared for battle.
The rulers were behind all; partly to encourage them in their work, and sometimes to assist with their own hands; and partly to direct and command them in case of an assault.
The house of Judah, i.e. the Jews who were upon the wall.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v16 When the builders had so far reason to think…
When the builders had so far reason to think the design of the enemies broken as to return to their work, yet they were not so secure as to lay down their arms, knowing how restless and unwearied they were in their attempts, and that, if one design failed, they would be hatching another. Thus must we watch always against our spiritual enemies, and not expect that our warfare will be accomplished till our work is. See what course Nehemiah took, that the people might hold themselves in a readiness, in case there should be an attack. 1. While one half were at work, the other half were under their arms, holding spears, and shields, and bows, not only for themselves but for the labourers too, who would immediately quit their work, and betake themselves to their weapons, upon the first alarm, Neh 4:16. It is probable that they changed services at stated hours, which would relieve the fatigue of both, and particularly would be an ease to the bearers of burdens, whose strength had decayed (Neh 4:10); while they held the weapons, they were eased and yet not idle. Thus dividing their time between the trowels and the spears, they are said to work with one hand and hold their weapons with the other (Neh 4:17), which cannot be understood literally, for the work would require both hands; but it intimates that they were equally employed in both. Thus must we work out our salvation with the weapons of our warfare in our hand; for in every duty we must expect to meet with opposition from our spiritual enemies, against whom we must still be fighting the good fight of faith. 2. Every builder had a sword by his side (Neh 4:18), which he could carry without hindering his labour. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, which we ought to have always at hand and never to seek, both in our labours and in our conflicts as Christians. 3. Care was taken both to get and give early notice of the approach of the enemy, in case they should endeavour to surprise them. Nehemiah kept a trumpeter always by him to sound an alarm, upon the first intimation of danger. The work was large, and the builders were dispersed; for in all parts of the wall they were labouring at the same time. Nehemiah continually walked round to oversee the work and encourage the workmen, and so would have speedy intelligence if the enemy made an attack, of which, by sound of trumpet, he would soon give notice to all, and they must immediately repair to him with a full assurance that their God would fight for them, Neh 4:18-20. When they acted as workmen, it was requisite they should be dispersed wherever there was work to do; but when as soldiers it was requisite they should come into close order, and be found in a body. Thus should the labourers in Christ's building be ready to unite against a common foe. 4. The inhabitants of the villages were ordered to lodge within Jerusalem, with their servants, not only that they might be the nearer to their work in the morning, but that they might be ready to help in case of an attack in the night, Neh 4:22. The strength of a city lies more in its hands than in its walls; secure them, and God's blessing upon them, and be secure. 5. Nehemiah himself, and all his men, kept closely to their business. The spears were held up, with the sight of them to terrify the enemy, not only from sun to sun, but from twilight to twilight every day, Neh 4:21. Thus ought we to be always upon our guard against our spiritual enemies, not only (as here) while it is light, but when it is dark, for they are the rulers of the darkness of this world. Nay, so very intent was Nehemiah upon his work, and so fast did he hold his servants to it, that while the heat of the business lasted neither he himself nor his attendants went into bed, but every night lay and slept in their clothes (Neh 4:23), except that they shifted them now and then, either for cleanliness or in a case of ceremonial pollution. It was a sign that their heart was upon their work when they could not find time to dress and undress, but resolved they would be at all times ready for service. Good work is likely to go on successfully when those that labour in it thus make a business of it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv16–22 And it came to pass from that time forth,....…
And it came to pass from that time forth,.... That they were thus alarmed of danger from their enemies:
that the half of my servants wrought in the work; of building the wall; his domestic servants, his guards, or mighty men, as Jarchi, men of war, the soldiers:
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and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows; some offensive, others defensive weapons; some to fight with at a distance, others near at hand:
and the habergeons; coats of mail, which they took and clothed themselves with:
and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah; the Jews that were working at the wall, to animate and encourage them, protect and defend them.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv16–18 From that time forth - Lest our enemies should…
From that time forth - Lest our enemies should repeat their enterprize. My servants - Of my domestick servants, and of my guards. Held, &c. - All their weapons: they stood in their arms prepared for battle. Were behind - To encourage them in their work, sometimes to assist with their own hands: and to direct and command them in case of an assault. Judah - The Jews who were upon the wall.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 20, 22 Verse 16. Half-wrought in the work] This is no…
Verse 16. Half-wrought in the work] This is no unusual thing, even in the present day, in Palestine: people sowing their seed are often attended by an armed man, to prevent the Arabs from robbing them of their seed, which they will not fail to do if not protected.
Habergeons] In the Franco-Gallic, hautbergon signifies a coat of mall; but as in Teutonic [Teutonic] signifies the neck, and [Teutonic], to cover or defend; it may be considered rather as signifying a breastplate, or armour for the breast.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21 Neh 4:16. It came to pass from that time…
Neh 4:16. It came to pass from that time forth — Lest our enemies should repeat their enterprise; that the half of my servants wrought in the work — Of my domestic servants, and of my guards, who should have attended upon my own person. And the other half held the spears, the shields, &c. — That is, all their weapons: they stood in their arms, prepared for battle. And the rulers were behind all — Partly to encourage them in their work, sometimes assisting them with their own hands; and partly to direct and command them in case of an assault.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv16, 22 Habergeons - Or, “coats of mail.” Coats of mail…
Habergeons - Or, “coats of mail.” Coats of mail were common in Assyria from the ninth century B.C., and in Egypt even earlier. They were made of thin laminae of bronze or iron, sewn upon leather or linen, and overlapping one another.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 20, 22 Their. Hebrew, "my servants," (Menochius) half of whom only…
Their. Hebrew, "my servants," (Menochius) half of whom only wrought, while the rest stood guard. If we adhere to the Vulgate, we must suppose that Nehemias altered his first plan, and ordered almost all to be ready to fight or to labour, as occasion might require, ver. 17. (Calmet) --- In. "Over, (Haydock) or behind all the family of Juda," (Vatable) encouraging the people by word, and sometimes by example. (Tirinus) (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 16. The half of my servants — Nehemiah may,…
16. The half of my servants — Nehemiah may, as governor of the people and superintendent of the work, speak here of all the people who laboured on the wall as his servants; but Neh_4:23 shows that he had also his own proper servants engaged in the work. As the king of Persia had provided him with captains and horsemen, (Neh_2:9,) so also had he, probably, furnished him with servants. From that time forth one half stood guard while the other half wrought in the work.
The other half of them held… the spears — There is, at first sight, some confusion here. According to Neh_4:17, every labourer held a missile weapon in one hand and worked with the other; and according to Neh_4:18, every one had also his sword girded by his side; but according to this verse one half of the people held the weapons while the other half worked on the wall. We think that Neh_4:17 is to be explained (in view of the more controlling statements of this verse and Neh_4:21) as a figurative or proverbial representation of the anxious watchfulness and care of all the people to prevent surprise by the enemy.
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Habergeons — Corselets, or coats of mail. See note on 1Sa_17:5.
The rulers were behind — That is, in the rear of the people, who were stationed at different places along the wall. They would naturally take this position the better to oversee and direct both the watch and the work. All the house of Judah is here used for the whole body of the people, who were composed principally of members of the tribe of Judah.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv16–22 16. the half of my servants wrought in the…
16. the half of my servants wrought in the work] R.V. half of, &c. Literally ‘half of my young men.’ The LXX. by a strange error τῶν ἐκτετιναγμένων. These were probably the bodyguard attached to the person of Nehemiah as the governor. They are mentioned again in Neh_4:23; Neh_5:10; Neh_5:16. We gather that only in the case of these his personal attendants did Nehemiah still insist upon arms being held in readiness, while the work of building went on. The rest of the Jews were exempted. Nehemiah’s servants were kept prepared for any emergency. One half of them worked on the wall: the other half were stationed under arms at various points holding the weapons of their comrades.
and the other half of them held both the spears, &c.] R.V. and half of them held the spears. In the original the copula ‘and’ stands before ‘the spears.’ It has been suggested that this implies the falling out of a word, e.g. ‘the swords’ after which the copula would be natural, i.e. ‘the swords and the spears, &c.’ The interpretation which, accepting the introduction of the word ‘swords,’ begins a new sentence with ‘and the spears, &c.’ is harsh and improbable. But it is best to suppose that the copula has been accidentally inserted from the neighbouring words. The wearing of a sword was not incompatible with the manual work. The weapons held by the non-working detachment are just those which would have rendered work on the wall impossible. Cf. Neh_4:18.
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the spears] The ‘spear’ (romakh) mentioned here and in Neh_4:13; Neh_4:21 seems to have been the principal thrusting weapon. We do not find it anywhere spoken of as a ‘javelin’ to be hurled. It must have been more of the Greek phalanx spear than the ‘pilum’ of the Roman soldier. It is mentioned in 2Ch_11:12; 2Ch_14:8; 2Ch_25:5; 2Ch_26:14, in connexion with the armies of the Southern kingdom, in Jer_46:4, with the forces of Pharaoh-Necho, in Eze_39:9, with the armies of Gog. The same word is used of the weapons with which the prophets of Baal mutilated themselves as they offered sacrifice on Mount Carmel (1Ki_18:28).
the shields, and the bows] There were two kinds of shields in the armies of the East, the one small and round (‘the buckler’), the other large and oblong. They are mentioned together in 2Ch_23:9; cf. 1Ki_10:16-17. Representations of the two kinds may be seen in the Assyrian sculptures. Here the shields are of the smaller kind (magen), and would be used by those who carried spears.
and the bows] In the Assyrian bas-reliefs we constantly find ‘bowmen’ attacking a city protected by shield-bearers, and discharging their arrows behind large oblong shields. Here however shooting from behind a rampart, the large shields would not be required.
and the habergeons] R.V. and the coats of mail. Cp. also 2Ch_26:14, where the R.V. makes the same alteration. It is unlikely that the common soldiers mentioned in these two passages would have worn heavy and elaborate ‘coats of mail’ such as Saul is described as offering to David (1Sa_17:38) or Ahab seems to have worn at Ramoth-Gilead (1Ki_22:34; 2Ch_18:33). The wearing of ‘scale’ or ‘link’ armour was probably confined to the officers of an army; and it may be doubted whether the soldiers of a provincial governor would have been so fully and expensively equipped.
We should probably understand the defensive armour here mentioned to consist of suits of tough leather doublets, ‘jerkins,’ protecting the body down to the knees and leaving the arms bare. The hard specially prepared hides, of which they were made, were almost impenetrable to the arrow. In some cases no doubt thin ‘scales’ of metal were sewn into the leather, and Nehemiah’s bodyguard would be better armed than the ordinary Jewish citizens. For ‘habergeon’ = a little coat-of-mail covering the head and shoulders, compare (see Bible Word-Book) Latimer, Serm., p. 29, ‘And be ye apparalled or clothed,’ saith Paul, ‘with the habergeon or coat armour of justice.’ The word is used by the A.V. in Exo_28:32; Exo_39:23; 2Ch_26:14; Job_41:26 It is derived from the French ‘haubergeon’ = neck covering.
and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah] so R.V. text; R.V marg., ‘all the house of Judah that builded the wall. And they that &c.’
The meaning of this clause seems to be that ‘the rulers’ or princes took up their position to the rear of those engaged in working at the wall, so that at any moment, when the alarm should sound, they could issue their commands and take the necessary measures to repel the attack.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 21 (16) My servants.—The building was resumed with special precautions,…
(16) My servants.—The building was resumed with special precautions, very minutely described. “Nehemiah’s own servants” are distinguished from “all the house of Judah.” The former were divided into two parties, one of which wrought on the work still unfinished and the other held their weapons.
Habergeons are coats of mail or corselets, thin plates of metal sewn upon leather.
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The rulers were behind—Ready to lead the defence, if necessary.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv16, 17, 18, 21, 22 The half of my servants wrought in the work.…
The half of my servants wrought in the work. Nehemiah divided his "servants" or slaves into two bodies, one of which laboured at the wall, while the other kept guard, fully armed, and held the spears, bows and arrows, shields, and corselets of their fellows. The rulers were behind. The "rulers" or "princes" did not labour, but stood behind the labourers, directing them, and ready to lead them on if the enemy ventured to come to blows.
Vers. 16-23. Armed workers.
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The enemies of the Jews, who meditated an attack upon them, finding that they were aware of their design and well prepared to receive them, withdrew their forces, and the work of restoring the wall went on again. Nehemiah, however, thought it necessary that the people should be prepared for resistance at any moment. He therefore kept half his own retinue always on guard, well armed, while the other half worked; he appointed that every labourer should work armed; those whose work permitted, holding a weapon in one hand while labouring with the other; the masons, whose work required both hands, having a sword by their side; he placed the rulers behind the people, to direct the work and, if need were, to lead the fight. He himself was everywhere, overlooking the workmen, and on the alert for the enemy; having a trumpeter by his side to summon all the people together to resist any assault that might be made. As an additional precaution, he ordered those of the people whose dwellings were elsewhere to lodge by night in the city; while he, his relatives, slaves, and other attendants, though compelled to sleep, never put off their clothes (unless the last very obscure words of the chapter state an exception) until all danger had passed.
The lessons from this paragraph for any Christian Church or society, and indeed for any community, are, the importance of
1. Diligence in work, combined with readiness for contest. It is work that secures prosperity, but conflict may be necessary for the work"s sake.
2. Thorough union.
3. Division of duties. Each taking what he is best fitted for, or is thought to be by those in authority.
4. Good organisation.
5. Good rulers.
6. Obedience to them.
7. Self-denial. In all those highest in authority the most careful to practise it.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv17, 19, 20 Every one with one of his hands wrought in…
Neh_4:17-18
Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon,
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The work and warfare of life
Life is work, and life is warfare; and these are ever commingled.
Our text is but an epitome and sample of that larger and longer work which fills the broad area of all human history.
I. This life is to men a scene of toil. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread is the universal and unchanging law of human life. Inaction is no blessing. The spirit of man stagnates and sickens under it, and it issues in a weariness which is worse than the fatigues of labour. Activity is needful to the true enjoyment of life. Adam was not inactive in paradise (Gen_2:15). Heaven is a rest, but not a rest of indolence. There His servants do serve Him. The true labour of life involves self-denial, apprehension, patience, fatigue, disappointment. Every man has a work that is specific and peculiar to him. The great Taskmaster never set two of His creatures the same task. Amid much general sameness, there is the strictest individuality. Lifes work is twofold.
1. The secular department. How great is the number of human avocations! And in each of these avocations what a number of workers! And each one has a task given him to do which is as distinct as himself, which no one can do but he, and which is defined by his circumstances, his relations and his endowments.
2. The spiritual department. The work of the soul and of eternity; the end of which is--to glorify God and enjoy Him for ever.
II. This life is also a scene of conflict. We have to fight--
1. Against ourselves. As internal wars are ever fiercest and most painful, so the battle-ground of a Christians own heart is that on which he is called to wage the severest fight and win the hardest victory. We have to overcome our sluggishness, our unbelief, our sensuality, our concupiscence, the heavy clog of sense, and the fierce impulse of corruption.
2. Against men. This enemy is called the world. And by it we mean that vast mass of maxims, opinions, beliefs, pursuits, ways, habits, opposed to the mind and service of God, which characterise human society.
3. Against spirits. The devil and his angels, numerous, powerful, malignant (Eph_6:12). (R. A. Hallam, D. D.)
Construction and contention
We have here illustrated two principles--
I. construction. Each of us is put into the world to be a builder, and himself is the building. Each separate disciple is a habitation of God, through the Spirit. If your faith, your work, your prayers, your watchfulness shall ever succeed in edifying you into anything like a completed Christian, your character will be an edifice where Gods glory will be more distinctly manifest than it is over any altar, where His praise will resound more acceptably than from the grandest organ, and where His truth is more effectually preached than from the most eloquent pulpit of any cathedral in the world.
1. Because character is a building it is not therefore to be understood that there is no need in the Christian life for an instant change, or conversion. That comes before the building can be begun to any purpose, or on any right plan. All must be sound at the base. If any man should try to build on a false foundation his work would come to nought. No outside clamps would hold it up. Except ye be converted, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
2. We must not take the impression that the formation of Christian character consists in putting pieces of moral propriety together--a patchwork of merits without any all-controlling Divine principle. In all buildings there must be one design, an organising principle held clearly in the builders mind. In the structure of character this organising principle is the in working life of Christ. It is the will of God. The spiritual laws are just as necessary, in order to success in a righteous life, as the mechanical laws in order to architectural success. The first of those laws is that God is the centre and object of all religious affections; the second, that Jesus is the way to the Father. Hence--self-renunciation--yielding the heart--submission to the Heavenly Will is the inmost necessity of a Christian character. To the question how we shall build character fair and strong, the answer is--Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Into every particle of life must run this secret power of the Holy Christ--like the builders invisible design spreading through all the beams and braces and apartments of the house, or else it will be no habitation of the Spirit. Christian character means a righteous will, a purpose consecrated to God, and acting in all well-doing for man. You may grow in character by doing, thinking, and feeling more vigorously for God and your brother-man. Construction, then, is the multiplying of that inward spiritual energy out of which right outward deeds will be sure to come. It is replenishing the stock of life in the heart. It is making conscience quick, watchful, unbending. It is cultivating loyalty to the voice of God in the soul. It is the increase of humility, sincerity, temperance, integrity, patience, sweetness of temper, submission, benevolence. Additions to these, by whatever means, by Bible and prayer, and sacrament and labour, by the study of them in the lives of heroic saints, are the positive building of character.
II. contention. In the positive process of achieving good, hindrances are met. It has been said, There is nothing real or useful that is not a seat of war. Take construction without resistance.
If I ignore the fact of sin and forget temptations and simply go on cultivating good, as if there were no opposite, presently I shall find these sins are making assaults on me from behind: my work will be undermined, my pious pains spoilt; I shall be no true builder. On the other hand, take resistance without construction. This will produce a hard, censorious, belligerent type of piety. The sword will crowd out the gentle arts of peace. It makes soldiers against Satan, but not tillers of the soil of God. We become clever disputants, but not good, trusting, patient, loving, holy men and women. Looking out so sharply for the Ammonites and Ashdodites the walls do not go up. We want the watchful eye of the old anchorite, without his austerity. We want the practical activity of the modern reformer without his blindness to the personal foes in his own heart. We want one hand for service, one for battle; when this is understood Christs Church will be filled with consistent believers and fearless soldiers. (Bp. Huntington.)
The sword and the trowel
The stirring incident suggests lessons to the workers in Gods cause to-day.
I. The Church of God has still a great work to do for the salvation of the world. The walls of many a Jerusalem are down and need building up. Injustice, oppression, and wrong are found in many places.
II. How is the Church to accomplish all this work? Consider the people named in the text.
1. They had a wise and skilful leader. It is said that Alexander the Great was strolling among the tents of his soldiers on the eve of some great battle. Hearing some of his men engaged in conversation in one of the tents, he stopped to listen. The men were losing courage and heart, and said so. As they deplored their insufficiency for the task of the morrow, he slipped up to the door of the tent, and swinging back the canvas, said, Remember that Alexander is with you. Nehemiah told the people of a greater than Alexander. In all aggressive movements there must be aggressive leaders.
2. All the people were willing to help. The danger in these days is to leave the work to a few, to recognised leaders and officers. This is always foolish; in the Church of God it is fatal.
3. Each one had a work and did it. God has a piece of work for each one of us to do. Some have to stand in the front; others have to stand in the rear. Some work in the blaze of day, and others work out of sight. I sometimes admire the bridges which cross the Thames. As I have sailed under them, I have thought about the divers who had to work below the surface of the water to lay the foundation of some of the strong work which carries the weight of the whole. The work these divers did out of sight was all-important. If they had done it badly the whole would have suffered in consequence. It may be so with our work.
4. They did the work in dependence upon God. They did their secular work in a religious spirit. (C. Leach, D. D.)
The work of a Christian
This is well set forth by the occupations of a builder and a soldier.
1. There are heaps of rubbish to be removed. There must be a true repentance, a confessing and forsaking of sin.
2. Foundations deep and strong must be laid. Christ the one Foundation.
3. The wall must be carried up, little by little, etc. There must be a growing up into Christ, an advance in grace day by day.
4. This must be done according to the settled plan, by rule and square. Our rule is the written Word.
5. The Christian has to carry on his work in troublous times. He must stand bravely at his post, like a sentinel on watch. He must stand where his Captain has placed him. Obedience to Christ is the glory of the Christian soldier. We must believe where we cannot see, and trust where we cannot trace. The end will justify all His dealings with us and by us. In the Peninsular War, the captain of a division was placed by Wellington at a point remote from the field where s battle was about to be fought. He was expressly ordered to remain there, and on no account to quit his post. When the battle was raging fiercely the captain could no longer endure the inaction of his position, and so left it and joined in the fight. The enemy were driven from the field, and fled in the very direction that Wellington had anticipated, and where the captain with his men had been posted. The general felt confident that their flight would be cut off; but great was his anger when he found that his orders had been disobeyed, and the post vacated. It is said that he never again employed the captain in any important affair, and that the latter died of a broken heart through the loss of his reputation as a soldier. (J. M. Randall.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv17, 19, 21 Everyone worked with one hand, and with the other…
Everyone worked with one hand, and with the other hand he held his weapon
This is an exaggeration. They did not always work with only one hand, but they always had their weapon with them so that they were prepared to protect themselves and those around them. (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)
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translationWords
sword
works
trumpet
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv18, 20 4:18-19 Through the trumpeter, Nehemiah could sound the alarm…
4:18-19 Through the trumpeter, Nehemiah could sound the alarm to direct workers to any portion of the wall that might be attacked.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.