Nehemiah 4:21
Nehemiah 4:21 in Multiple Translations
So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
So we wrought in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
So we went on with the work: and half of them had spears in their hands from the dawn of the morning till the stars were seen.
We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the speares, from the appearing of the morning, till the starres came foorth.
And we are working in the business, and half of them are keeping hold of the spears, from the going up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.
So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.
So we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
And let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.
So we continued to work. Half of the men continued to hold their spears all day, from when the sun rose in the morning until the stars appeared at night.
Berean Amplified Bible — Nehemiah 4:21
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Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Study Notes — Nehemiah 4:21
- Context
- Cross References
- Nehemiah 4:21 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Nehemiah 4:21
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 4:21
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
- Trapp's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
- Ellicott's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
- Cambridge Bible on Nehemiah 4:21
- Whedon's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
- Sermons on Nehemiah 4:21
Context — Discouragement Overcome
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 my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galatians 6:9 | Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. |
| 2 | Colossians 1:29 | To this end I also labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me. |
| 3 | 1 Corinthians 15:58 | Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. |
| 4 | 1 Corinthians 15:10 | But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. |
Nehemiah 4:21 Summary
[This verse shows how the people working on the wall of Jerusalem were very careful and worked hard from morning till night, while also being ready to defend themselves if necessary, which is similar to how we should be diligent in our own work, as encouraged in Colossians 3:23-24. They trusted God to protect them, just as we can trust Him to take care of us in our daily lives, as Romans 8:28 reminds us. By working hard and trusting in God's protection, we can accomplish great things, just like the Israelites did in rebuilding the wall, and we should always remember that God is our helper and protector, as Psalm 121:1-2 says.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the men need to hold spears while working on the wall?
The men held spears to protect themselves from potential attacks while they worked on rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, as Nehemiah 4:21 indicates they worked from dawn till dusk, and Nehemiah 4:22-23 shows the precautions they took to ensure their safety, similar to how God protected His people in Exodus 14:13-14.
What does it mean to work from the break of dawn until the stars came out?
This phrase in Nehemiah 4:21 means to work from early morning until evening, essentially a full day, which emphasizes the diligence and dedication of the workers, much like the apostle Paul's encouragement to work hard in Colossians 3:23-24.
How does this verse relate to our daily lives as Christians?
Nehemiah 4:21 teaches us about perseverance and trust in God's protection, just as Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works all things together for our good, and 1 Corinthians 15:58 encourages us to be steadfast in our work and faith.
What role does faith play in the actions described in this verse?
The actions in Nehemiah 4:21 demonstrate a strong faith in God's protection and provision, as seen in Nehemiah's declaration in Nehemiah 4:20 that 'Our God will fight for us', which echoes the trust in God's deliverance found in Psalm 20:7-8.
Reflection Questions
- How can I apply the same diligence and trust in God's protection to my own work and daily tasks?
- What are some areas in my life where I need to trust God for protection and provision, just like the Israelites did while rebuilding the wall?
- In what ways can I demonstrate my faith in God's sovereignty, even in the face of challenges or threats, as the workers did in Nehemiah 4:21?
- How does remembering that God is my protector and helper, as in Psalm 121:1-2, impact my approach to difficult tasks or situations?
Gill's Exposition on Nehemiah 4:21
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 4:21
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
Trapp's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
Ellicott's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
Cambridge Bible on Nehemiah 4:21
Whedon's Commentary on Nehemiah 4:21
Sermons on Nehemiah 4:21
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Nicaragua) I Have Labored in Vain by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker shares the story of a missionary who became discouraged after five years of laboring in a certain nation without seeing any results. Despite God's promi |
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A Christian’s Response to Calamities by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the response of Christians to calamities happening in the world. They emphasize that while the world may be alarmed and nervous, Christians ha |
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Don't Give Up by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the theme of not losing heart in the face of struggles and challenges. He refers to the apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:1 and 4:16, |
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Whatever Happened to Joy by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the various forms of sadness and tragedy that people experience in life, such as illness, death, and uncertainty. However, the speaker emphasi |
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Spiritual Restoration by Jim Cymbala | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the theme of doing good and helping others. He emphasizes the importance of not giving up or becoming weary in doing good, as it can be tiring |
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I Don't Lose Heart by J. Oswald Sanders | J. Oswald Sanders emphasizes Paul's message of encouragement in the face of discouragement, drawing from 2 Corinthians 4. He reflects on his own experience of feeling pressured whi |
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A Vision of Our Culture by Dennis Kinlaw | In this sermon, the preacher shares a powerful experience he had during a gathering where he noticed a wave of sound coming from the audience every time he mentioned the name of Je |