I Samuel 3

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:1

Now
וַיְהִ֞י (yə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

when
כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Sanballat
סַנְבַלַּ֗ט (san·ḇal·laṭ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5571: Sanballat -- a Samaritan leader

heard
שָׁמַ֣ע (šā·ma‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we
אֲנַ֤חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

were rebuilding
בוֹנִים֙ (ḇō·w·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1129: To build

the wall,
הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה (ha·ḥō·w·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

he became furious
וַיִּ֣חַר (way·yi·ḥar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2734: To glow, grow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

and was filled with indignation.
וַיִּכְעַ֖ס (way·yiḵ·‘as)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3707: To trouble, to grieve, rage, be indignant

He ridiculed
וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג (way·yal·‘êḡ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3932: To deride, to speak unintelligibly

the Jews
הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (hay·yə·hū·ḏîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3064: Jews -- Jewish

- The opponents become furious and indignant!

- Here we are told about Sanballat!

- Any strategy will do!

- Here he ridiculed the Jews!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:2

before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

his associates
אֶחָ֗יו (’e·ḥāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

and the army
וְחֵיל֙ (wə·ḥêl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2426: An army, an intrenchment

of Samaria,
שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן (šō·mə·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8111: Samaria -- capital of northern kingdom of Israel

saying,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“What
מָ֛ה (māh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

are these feeble
הָאֲמֵלָלִ֖ים (hā·’ă·mê·lā·lîm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 537: Languid

Jews
הַיְּהוּדִ֥ים (hay·yə·hū·ḏîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3064: Jews -- Jewish

doing?
עֹשִׂ֑ים (‘ō·śîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

Can they restore [the wall] by themselves?
הֲיַעַזְב֨וּ (hă·ya·‘az·ḇū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

Will they offer sacrifices?
הֲיִזְבָּ֙חוּ֙ (hă·yiz·bā·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2076: To slaughter for sacrifice

Will they complete it
הַיְכַלּ֣וּ (hay·ḵal·lū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3615: To be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, or spent

in a day?
בַיּ֔וֹם (ḇay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

Can they bring these
לָהֶ֤ם (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

burnt
שְׂרוּפֽוֹת׃ (śə·rū·p̄ō·wṯ)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine plural
Strong's 8313: To be, on fire

stones
הָאֲבָנִ֛ים (hā·’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

back to life
הַיְחַיּ֧וּ (hay·ḥay·yū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

from the mounds
מֵעֲרֵמ֥וֹת (mê·‘ă·rê·mō·wṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 6194: A heap, a sheaf

of rubble?”
הֶעָפָ֖ר (he·‘ā·p̄ār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud

- The opponents were ready to do anything to discourage the Jews!

- It can either work or encourage them!

- When you work together as one and you can see the progress, nothing can stop you!

 

[JLG]

1)
https://www.holylandsite.com/walls-of-jerusalem-history

History of the Walls of Jerusalem

The First Walls Were Built by the Canaanites

Long before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, the Jebusites lived securely within the walls of Jerusalem. The city was blessed with natural valleys around it that made it easy to defend. The city walls and its fortress provided additional protection.

 

[JLG]

2)
David Conquered the Jebusite City and Enlarged the City Walls

God was with David and allowed him to capture Jerusalem from the Jebusites. Later, he built stronger and additional walls to fortify the city, and it would become known as the City of David.

2 Samuel 5:6–10: And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David's soul.” Therefore, it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

 

[JLG]

3)
Solomon Added to the Walls of the City

After David died, Solomon built the Temple Mount Platform on Mt. Moriah upon the threshing floor of Araunah. Then he erected the temple upon it and added walls from the City of David to encompass the Temple Mount and temple.

 

[JLG]

4)
Hezekiah’s Broad Wall Expansion of the Western Hill

In 701 BC, the Assyrians, headed by Sennacherib invaded Judah, the Southern Kingdom of Israel, because of their disobedience to God. According to an Assyrian stele found in the ruins of the royal palace of Nineveh, Sennacherib conquered 46 cities in Judea prior to attempting to conquer Jerusalem.

God allowed most of Judah to be conquered but protected Jerusalem because of Hezekiah’s obedience to Him. As Hezekiah began to prepare for what he knew would be a terrible siege by a merciless Assyrian war machine, he had to figure out how to protect his people. This meant building new defenses.
During the time of Hezekiah, Jerusalem’s urban population had grown far outside the old walls of the city and were unprotected. King Hezekiah fortified the existing walls of the city and built a new wall in a rapid manner to protect those living outside the city walls.

2 Chronicles 32:5: He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall, and he strengthened the Millo in the city of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance.

Hezekiah’s new wall measured about 22 feet wide (7 m.) by 25 feet high (8 m.). It was a massive undertaking and measured around 2.5 miles (4 km.) in length.
A portion of the wall was discovered in the 1970s by Israeli archaeologist Nahman Avigad and dated to the reign of King Hezekiah (716–687 BC). It was called “Hezekiah’s Broad Wall” by archaeologists because of its width.

Hezekiah also built a water tunnel in order to keep the water from the Gihon Spring inside the city walls so the Assyrians couldn’t cut off the water supply (2 Chron. 32:3–4). The curving tunnel is 583 yards (533 m.) long and has a fall of 12 inches (30 cm.) between its two ends. It was chiseled from both ends to the middle at the same time. It took the water from the Gihon Spring under the mountain to the Pool of Siloam below the city. Today, this water tunnel is known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel.

 

[JLG]

5)

Nehemiah Rebuilds the Walls

When the Babylonians conquered and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, they also destroyed the walls and burned the gates with fire. However, God sovereignly moved in the heart of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, to allow Nehemiah to rebuild the walls. Under his leadership and with a small Jewish population, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt to dimensions similar to Solomon’s day.

Nehemiah 1:1–3: Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire."

The rebuilding and repair of the wall was a miracle.
Nehemiah 6:15–16: So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

 

[JLG]

6)
Hasmonean Wall Addition

The Jews gained their independence from the Seleucid Empire in 164 BC, led by the Maccabees and Hasmoneans. During this time, known as the Hasmonean period (164–63 BC), Jerusalem was rebuilt along with its walls. It was built to dimensions similar to King Hezekiah’s time.

 

[JLG]

7)
King Herod Addition ~ Jerusalem of Jesus’ Day

In 19 BC, the master-builder, King Herod the Great, began his life's most ambitious building project. He undertook the rebuilding of the temple and the Temple Mount on a massive scale. He took the expansion of the Hasmonean Temple Mount and extended it on three sides, to the north, west, and south. This expansion also included some additional wall construction on the north side of the city walls. The archaeology of the Temple Mount today confirms this enlargement. It would be this city layout that would exist during the time of Christ.

 

[JLG]

8)
Agrippa I Wall Addition

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, King Agrippa I (41–44 AD) began the construction of a third city wall of Jerusalem to protect a new quarter that grew north beyond the first and second city walls. Agrippa stopped work on the wall after only laying the foundation out of fear that Roman emperor Claudius would suspect he was planning a revolt. Jewish rebels later completed this wall in haste leading up to the First Jewish Revolt (66–70 AD). This would be the largest area the city walls would encompass.

 

[JLG]

9)
The City Walls Today

In the 16th century, Suleiman decided to rebuild the city walls on much of the remains of the ancient walls that already existed. However, much of the southern part of the city walls were omitted in the new construction. They were completed in 1538 and are the walls that exist today.

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:3

Then Tobiah
וְטוֹבִיָּ֥ה (wə·ṭō·w·ḇî·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2900: Tobiah -- 'Yah is my good', three Israelites, also an Ammonite

the Ammonite,
הָעַמֹּנִ֖י (hā·‘am·mō·nî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5984: Ammonite -- descendants of Ammon

who was beside him,
אֶצְל֑וֹ (’eṣ·lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 681: A joining together, proximity

said,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

even
גַּ֚ם (gam)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

a fox
שׁוּעָ֔ל (šū·‘āl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7776: Fox, perhaps jackal

were to climb up on
יַעֲלֶ֣ה (ya·‘ă·leh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

what
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

they
הֵ֣ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

are building,
בּוֹנִ֔ים (bō·w·nîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1129: To build

it would break down
וּפָרַ֖ץ (ū·p̄ā·raṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6555: To break through

their wall
חוֹמַ֥ת (ḥō·w·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

of stones!”
אַבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (’aḇ·nê·hem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 68: A stone


- The opponents keep laughing at the reconstruction!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:4

Hear us,
שְׁמַ֤ע (šə·ma‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

O God,
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

we are
הָיִ֣ינוּ (hā·yî·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

despised.
בוּזָ֔ה (ḇū·zāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 939: Something scorned, an object of contempt

Turn
וְהָשֵׁ֥ב (wə·hā·šêḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

their scorn
חֶרְפָּתָ֖ם (ḥer·pā·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2781: Contumely, disgrace, the pudenda

back upon
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

their own heads,
רֹאשָׁ֑ם (rō·šām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7218: The head

and let them be taken
וּתְנֵ֥ם (ū·ṯə·nêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

as plunder
לְבִזָּ֖ה (lə·ḇiz·zāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 961: Spoil, booty

to a land
בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of captivity.
שִׁבְיָֽה׃ (šiḇ·yāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7633: Captivity, captives

As a consequence, the Jews are calling Yah.weh for help against their enemies!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:5

Do not
וְאַל־ (wə·’al-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

cover up
תְּכַס֙ (tə·ḵas)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect Jussive - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

their iniquity
עֲוֺנָ֔ם (‘ă·wō·nām)
Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5771: Iniquity, guilt, punishment for iniquity

or let their sin
וְחַטָּאתָ֖ם (wə·ḥaṭ·ṭā·ṯām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2403: An offence, its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, expiation, an offender

be blotted out
תִּמָּחֶ֑ה (tim·mā·ḥeh)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4229: To stroke, rub, to erase, to smooth, grease, make fat, to touch, reach to

from Your sight,
מִלְּפָנֶ֣יךָ (mil·lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

for
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

they have provoked
הִכְעִ֖יסוּ (hiḵ·‘î·sū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3707: To trouble, to grieve, rage, be indignant

the builders.
הַבּוֹנִֽים׃ (hab·bō·w·nîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 1129: To build

- We may remember it is Nehemiah’s way to pray Yah.weh for help!
- And he keeps doing it!
- And it is necessary so Yah.weh can listen to them!
- Because their sins against Yah.weh are many!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:6

So we rebuilt
וַנִּבְנֶה֙ (wan·niḇ·neh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 1129: To build

the wall
הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה (ha·ḥō·w·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

until all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

[of it]
הַחוֹמָ֖ה (ha·ḥō·w·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

was joined together
וַתִּקָּשֵׁ֥ר (wat·tiq·qā·šêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7194: To tie, gird, confine, compact, in love, league

up to
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

half its [height],
חֶצְיָ֑הּ (ḥeṣ·yāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

for the people
לָעָ֖ם (lā·‘ām)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

had
וַיְהִ֧י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

a mind
לֵ֦ב (lêḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre

to work.
לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

• Thus the Jews rebuild the wall!
• They make it up to half its height!
• Because of people’s minds!
• When you work together, you can achieve a lot!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:7

When
כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (ḵa·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Sanballat
סַנְבַלַּ֡ט (san·ḇal·laṭ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5571: Sanballat -- a Samaritan leader

and Tobiah,
וְ֠טוֹבִיָּה (wə·ṭō·w·ḇî·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2900: Tobiah -- 'Yah is my good', three Israelites, also an Ammonite

together with the Arabs,
וְהָעַרְבִ֨ים (wə·hā·‘ar·ḇîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 6163: Arabian -- inhabitant of Arabia

Ammonites,
וְהָעַמֹּנִ֜ים (wə·hā·‘am·mō·nîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 5984: Ammonite -- descendants of Ammon

and Ashdodites,
וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִ֗ים (wə·hā·’aš·dō·w·ḏîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 796: Ashdodites -- an inhabitant of Ashdod

heard
שָׁמַ֣ע (šā·ma‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the repair
אֲרוּכָה֙ (’ă·rū·ḵāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 724: Healing, restoration

to the walls
לְחֹמ֣וֹת (lə·ḥō·mō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

of Jerusalem
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם (yə·rū·šā·lim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

was progressing
עָלְתָ֤ה (‘ā·lə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively

and that
כִּי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

the gaps
הַפְּרֻצִ֖ים (hap·pə·ru·ṣîm)
Article | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural
Strong's 6555: To break through

were being closed,
לְהִסָּתֵ֑ם (lə·his·sā·ṯêm)
Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5640: To stop up, to repair, to keep secret

they were furious,
וַיִּ֥חַר (way·yi·ḥar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2734: To glow, grow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

• The reconstruction of the walls are going well!
• And the gaps are being closed!
• So the opponents are furious!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:8

and all of them
כֻלָּם֙ (ḵul·lām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

conspired
וַיִּקְשְׁר֤וּ (way·yiq·šə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7194: To tie, gird, confine, compact, in love, league

to come
לָב֖וֹא (lā·ḇō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and fight
לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם (lə·hil·lā·ḥêm)
Preposition-l | Verb - Nifal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

against Jerusalem
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (bî·rū·šā·lim)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

and create
וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (wə·la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

a hindrance.
תּוֹעָֽה׃ (tō·w·‘āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8442: Mistake, impiety, injury

• Yes, they are furious!
• Thus when they see that laughing at them is not sufficient, they want to conspire and fight against them!
• Simple basic logic!

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:9

So we prayed
וַנִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל (wan·niṯ·pal·lêl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6419: To judge, to intercede, pray

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

our God
אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and posted
וַנַּעֲמִ֨יד (wan·na·‘ă·mîḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

a guard
מִשְׁמָ֧ר (miš·mār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4929: Place of confinement, jail, prison, guard, watch, observance

against them
עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

day
יוֹמָ֥ם (yō·w·mām)
Adverb
Strong's 3119: Daytime, by day

and night.
וָלַ֖יְלָה (wā·lay·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3915: A twist, night, adversity

• First they pray Yah.weh!
• Then they post a guard day and night to protect themselves from their enemies!
• The two actions are connected!
• What about us?

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:10


Meanwhile, the people of Judah

יְהוּדָ֗ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)

Noun - proper - masculine singular

Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites


said:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)

Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular

Strong's 559: To utter, say


“The strength

כֹּ֣חַ (kō·aḥ)

Noun - masculine singular construct

Strong's 3581: A small reptile (of unknown species)


of the laborer

הַסַּבָּ֔ל (has·sab·bāl)

Article | Noun - masculine singular

Strong's 5449: Burden bearer


fails,

כָּשַׁל֙ (kā·šal)

Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Strong's 3782: To totter, waver, to falter, stumble, faint, fall


and there is so much

הַרְבֵּ֑ה (har·bêh)

Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute

Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great


rubble

וְהֶעָפָ֖ר (wə·he·‘ā·p̄ār)

Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular

Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud


that we

וַאֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ (wa·’ă·naḥ·nū)

Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common plural

Strong's 587: We


will never

לֹ֣א (lō)

Adverb - Negative particle

Strong's 3808: Not, no


be able

נוּכַ֔ל (nū·ḵal)

Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural

Strong's 3201: To be able, have power


to rebuild

לִבְנ֖וֹת (liḇ·nō·wṯ)

Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct

Strong's 1129: To build


the wall.”

בַּחוֹמָֽה׃ (ba·ḥō·w·māh)

Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular

Strong's 2346: A wall of protection

• The strength of the laborer fails!
• They think they won’t be able to rebuild the wall!
• Are their enemies successful?
• Who is the enemy: the enemy or the laborer?

 

[JLG]

Nehemiah 4:11


And our enemies

צָרֵ֗ינוּ (ṣā·rê·nū)

Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural

Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent


said,

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)

Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural

Strong's 559: To utter, say


“Before

עַ֛ד (‘aḏ)

Preposition

Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while


they know

יֵדְעוּ֙ (yê·ḏə·‘ū)

Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Strong's 3045: To know


[or]

וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)

Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle

Strong's 3808: Not, no


see

יִרְא֔וּ (yir·’ū)

Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural

Strong's 7200: To see


[a thing],

לֹ֤א (lō)

Adverb - Negative particle

Strong's 3808: Not, no


we will come

נָב֥וֹא (nā·ḇō·w)

Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural

Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


into

אֶל־ (’el-)

Preposition

Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to


their midst,

תּוֹכָ֖ם (tō·w·ḵām)

Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural

Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre


kill them,

וַהֲרַגְנ֑וּם (wa·hă·raḡ·nūm)

Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural | third person masculine plural

Strong's 2026: To smite with deadly intent


and put an end

וְהִשְׁבַּ֖תְנוּ (wə·hiš·baṯ·nū)

Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common plural

Strong's 7673: To repose, desist from exertion


to the work.”

הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ (ham·mə·lā·ḵāh)

Article | Noun - feminine singular

Strong's 4399: Deputyship, ministry, employment, work, property



- Their enemies want to stop the reconstruction of the wall by killing the workers!