Nehemiah 4:23
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
American King James Version (AKJV)
So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
American Standard Version (ASV)
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one went with his weapon to the water.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
So not one of us, I or my brothers or my servants or the watchmen who were with me, took off his clothing, everyone went armed to the water.
Webster's Revision
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
World English Bible
So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.
English Revised Version (ERV)
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one went with his weapon to the water.
Clarke's Nehemiah 4:23 Bible Commentary
None of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing - The Hebrew for all this is only אין אנחנו פשטים בגדינו איש שלחו המים ein anachnu poshetim begadeynu ish shilcho hammayim; which Montanus translates, Non nos exuentes vestes nostras, vir missile suum aquas; "We, not putting off our garments, a man his dart to the waters." Of this latter clause what sense can be made? Let us hear what the ancient versions say.
The Vulgate, Unusquisque tantum nudabatur ad baptismum, "Every one stripped himself for the bath."
The Septuagint omit the latter part of this clause, And there was none of us who put off his garments.
The Syriac, "None of us put off his clothes for a month each in his turn.
The Arabic, "Nor did we put off our clothes, but with our arms, at the end of a month."
There is a remarkable reading in one of De Rossi's MSS. אין אנחנו פשטים בגדינו משלחהעל המים, We did not lay aside our garments, but in order to send them to the washing. This is most likely the sense of the place.
It is curious to see how our old versions translate the place.
Coverdale: We put never of our clothes, so much as to wash ourselves. - 1535.
Becke: We put never of our clothes, so muche as to washe ourselves. - 1549.
Cardmarden: We put never of oure clothes no more than the other dyd theyr harnesse, save onely bycause of the water. - 1566.
This shows how all interpreters have been puzzled with this vexatious clause.
The reading from De Rossi's MS., given above, is the most likely to be the true one, because it gives a good sense, which cannot be found in the Hebrew text as it now stands. The general meaning is sufficiently evident; they worked nearly day and night, only had their hours by turns for repose; this did not permit them time sufficient to undress themselves in order to take regular sleep, therefore they only put off their clothes when they were obliged to get them washed.
Barnes's Nehemiah 4:23 Bible Commentary
Saving ... - The text here is probably unsound. It yields no satisfactory sense. See the margin.
Wesley's Nehemiah 4:23 Bible Commentary
4:23 Washing - When they were to wash and cleanse themselves from some impurity, which might befal them or their garments.