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Nehemiah 4:10

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Nehemiah 4:10 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Nehemiah 4:10 — American Standard Version

Context — Nehemiah 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
7But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth;
8and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein.
9But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
11And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
12And it came to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times from all places, Ye must return unto us.
13Therefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set [there] the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
← Nehemiah 4:9Nehemiah 4:11 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Judah said, etc.] Several of the men of Judah: the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed; through much labour, in carrying heavy loads of stone and timber to the builders, and yet more through fear of the enemy: and there is much rubbish; which ought to be removed, but that the labourers were so weak that they could not do it: so that we are not able to build the wall; to finish it before the enemy comes to attack us.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Judah - The Jews now dwelling in Judah, some of them being partly terrified by their enemies, and partly wearied with continual labour. Rubbish - More than we are able suddenly to remove. Not able - Being forced to spend our time in removing the rubbish, and therefore we must desist for a season. Nehemiah 4:12”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“The strength: Num 13:31, Num 32:9; Psa 11:1, Psa 11:2; Hag 1:2 bearers: Ch2 2:18; Eze 29:18 Nehemiah 4:11”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“(4:4) The placing of the watch day and night, and the continuous labour, must have pressed heavily upon the people; therefore Judah said: "The strength of the bearers of burdens fails, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to build the wall." That is to say, the labour is beyond our power, we cannot continue it. Nehemiah 4:11”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification