Nehemiah 4:17
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
They which built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
American King James Version (AKJV)
They which built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
American Standard Version (ASV)
They all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Those who were building the wall and those who were moving material did their part, everyone working with one hand, with his spear in the other;
Webster's Revision
They who built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
World English Bible
They all built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands worked in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
English Revised Version (ERV)
They that builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;
Definitions for Nehemiah 4:17
Clarke's Nehemiah 4:17 Bible Commentary
With one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon - That is, he had his arms at hand, and was as fully prepared to fight as to work. So Ovid, Epist. xi., Canace Macario, ver. 1: -
Si qua tamen caecis errabunt scripta lituris,
Oblitus a dominae caede libellus erit:
Dextra tenet calamum; strictum tenet altera ferrum:
Et jacet in gremio charta soluta meo.
If streaming blood my fatal letter stain,
Imagine, ere you read, the writer slain.
One hand the sword, and one the pen employs,
And in my lap the ready paper lies.
Dryden.
By this mode of speech Canace does not intimate to her brother Macarius, that she actually held the sword in one hand while she held the pen in the other, but that she had it ready to slay herself as soon as she had written the epistle.
Wesley's Nehemiah 4:17 Bible Commentary
4:17 A Weapon - This is to be taken figuratively; being a proverbial speech, as when they say of a man pretending kindness, he carries bread in one hand, and a stone in another. Thus must we work out our salvation, with the weapons of our warfare in our hands. For in every duty we must expect opposition from our spiritual enemies.