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.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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.
- BSB who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
- NKJV 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.
- NASB 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.
- NLT who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The workers labor with one hand and hold a weapon in the other. Every laborer is also a soldier.
Overview
Even those carrying burdens stay armed, ready to fight at a moment's notice. The vivid image of one hand working and one hand armed captures the dual demand of building and defending. It has long served as a picture of the Christian life, which combines diligent kingdom labor with constant spiritual watchfulness against the enemy.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Tim 2:3Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Tim 4:7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
- 2 Cor 6:7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
- Phil 1:28And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
- 1 Cor 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
- Eph 6:11–20Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- 1 Cor 16:9For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
- Dan 9:25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
- 1 Cor 9:12If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 4:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.