Tanach
Nechemyah 4:1-8 נחמיה ד׳:א׳-ח׳
Part of: Chapter 4
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע סַנְבַלַּט וְטוֹבִיָּה וְהָעַרְבִים וְהָעַמֹּנִים וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִים כִּֽי־עָלְתָה אֲרוּכָה לְחֹמוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם כִּי־הֵחֵלּוּ הַפְּרֻצִים לְהִסָּתֵם וַיִּחַר לָהֶם מְאֹֽד׃
And it was, when Sanvalet and Toviah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been "healed," that the "breached ones" [(the Jews of the city)] had [now] been closed in, they were extremely wroth.
And it was, when Sanvalet and Toviah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been "healed," that the "breached ones" [(the Jews of the city)] had [now] been closed in, they were extremely wroth.
Rashi
ארוכה. ענין חובש ותרופה:
repaired A [word having the] meaning of bandaging and healing.
כי החלו הפרוצים להסתם. אשר התחילו אנשי העיר שהיו פרוצים עד עתה מאין חומה היו עתה סתומים בבנין החומה:
that the people who were exposed had commenced to be closed in that the people of the city, who had heretofore been exposed without a wall, were now closed in by the building of the wall.
וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ כֻלָּם יַחְדָּו לָבוֹא לְהִלָּחֵם בִּירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ תּוֹעָֽה׃
And they all banded together to come to war against Jerusalem and to render it [(the wall)] a ruin.
And they all banded together to come to war against Jerusalem and to render it [(the wall)] a ruin.
Rashi
ולעשות לו תועה. לעשות לו בבנין החומה קלקול והשחתה תועה כמו ולדבר אל ה' תועה (ישעיהו ל״ב:ו׳):
and to wreak destruction therein to wreak upon the building of the wall ruin and destruction. It is like (Isa. 32:5): “...and to speak destructively (תּוֹעָה) about the Lord.”
וַנִּתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַנַּעֲמִיד מִשְׁמָר עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
And we prayed to our G-d, and we set up a guard for them [(the builders)] day and night against them [(the invaders)].
And we prayed to our G-d, and we set up a guard for them [(the builders)] day and night against them [(the invaders)].
Rashi
עליהם. על הבונים:
over them over the builders.
מפניהם. מפני האויבים:
because of them because of the enemies.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה כָּשַׁל כֹּחַ הַסַּבָּל וְהֶעָפָר הַרְבֵּה וַאֲנַחְנוּ לֹא נוּכַל לִבְנוֹת בַּחוֹמָֽה׃
And Judah said [(in fear of the foe)]: The strength of the workers has waned and the earth [(for building)] is much [i.e., there is yet much for us to build], and we shall not be able to build the wall.
And Judah said [(in fear of the foe)]: The strength of the workers has waned and the earth [(for building)] is much [i.e., there is yet much for us to build], and we shall not be able to build the wall.
Rashi
ויאמר יהודה. כך היו אומרים ומתאוננים אנשי יהודה:
And Judea said So were the people of Judea saying and complaining.
כשל כח הסבל. הסובלים ועומסים האבנים והעצים לבנין החומה נכשלו בכחם שאין בהם כח לבנות מפני האויבים:
The porter’s strength has failed Those who bear and load the stones and the wood for the building of the wall have failed in their strength, for they have no more strength to build because of the enemies.
ועפר הרבה. עדיין יש טיט וחומר הרבה ליתן בבנין החומה לומר שעדיין המלאכה גדולה עלינו לבנות ואנחנו לא נוכל לבנות בחומה מפני פחד האויבים:
and there is much earth There is still much mud and clay to place into the wall, meaning that we still have much work, but we cannot build because of fear of the enemies.
וַיֹּאמְרוּ צָרֵינוּ לֹא יֵדְעוּ וְלֹא יִרְאוּ עַד אֲשֶׁר־נָבוֹא אֶל־תּוֹכָם וַהֲרַגְנוּם וְהִשְׁבַּתְנוּ אֶת־הַמְּלָאכָֽה׃
[(Nechemiah says what follows:)] And our foes said: They [(Israel)] will not know [(of our presence)] and they will not see until we come into their midst and we will halt the work.
[(Nechemiah says what follows:)] And our foes said: They [(Israel)] will not know [(of our presence)] and they will not see until we come into their midst and we will halt the work.
Rashi
ויאמרו צרינו. כך היה נחמיה מספר והולך:
And our adversaries said Nehemiah proceeds to tell this.
לא ידעו ולא יראו. כך היו אומרים צרינו עלינו לא ידעו ולא יכירו ישראל בנו עד אשר נבוא פתאום לתוכם ונהרוג אותם ובדבר זה נשבות ונבטל הבנין:
They will not know, and they will not see So were our adversaries saying about us: “They will not know, and the Israelites will not recognize us until we come suddenly into their midst and kill them, and with this plot we will stop and curtail the building.”
וַֽיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ הַיְּהוּדִים הַיֹּשְׁבִים אֶצְלָם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָנוּ עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים מִכׇּל־הַמְּקֹמוֹת אֲשֶׁר־תָּשׁוּבוּ עָלֵֽינוּ׃
And it was, when the Jews who dwelt with them came and told us ten times: From all the places [(where you find yourselves engaged in the work of the wall, assemble when they attack until)] you return upon us [(to fight us)].
And it was, when the Jews who dwelt with them came and told us ten times: From all the places [(where you find yourselves engaged in the work of the wall, assemble when they attack until)] you return upon us [(to fight us)].
Rashi
ויהי כאשר באו היהודים. ועתה נאספו הצרים אשר נתקשרו יחד לבא להלחם בנו עם היהודים אשר היו בינותם בארצותם ואותם היהודים אשר נתחברו עמהם באו לפני החיל כדרך אנשי המלחמה לדבר אלינו ובענין הזה הערימו היהודים את האויבים ויהי כאשר באו היהודים היושבים אצלם וגו':
Now it came to pass when the Jews came And now, the adversaries who had conspired together to wage war against us gathered with the Jews who were among them in their lands, and those Jews who had joined them came before the army, as is customary for soldiers to do, to speak to us, and in this manner the Jews conspired against the enemies. Now it came to pass when the Jews who dwelt beside them came, etc.
ויאמרו לנו עשר פעמים. התרו בנו אותם היהודים עד עשר פעמים להלחם באויבינו כי הם באים למלחמה וכך אמרו לנו מכל המקומות וגו' מכל אותן המקומות שתהיו נפוצים שם בבנין החומה אנה ואנה תהיו זהירים להיות נאספים יחד עד אשר תשובו עלינו ביחד להלחם בנו:
that they said to us ten times Those Jews warned us as many as ten times to wage war against our enemies because they were coming to war. And this is what they said to us, “From all the places, etc.” From all those places where you will be scattered while building the wall, here and there, be careful to assemble until you return upon us together to wage war against us.
וָֽאַעֲמִיד מִֽתַּחְתְּיוֹת לַמָּקוֹם מֵאַחֲרֵי לַחוֹמָה (בצחחיים) [בַּצְּחִיחִים] וָֽאַעֲמִיד אֶת־הָעָם לְמִשְׁפָּחוֹת עִם־חַרְבֹתֵיהֶם רׇמְחֵיהֶם וְקַשְּׁתֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
And I positioned beneath that place [(around Jerusalem)] behind the wall [(on the outside)] (and) on the rocks — I positioned the people by [the strongest of] their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
And I positioned beneath that place [(around Jerusalem)] behind the wall [(on the outside)] (and) on the rocks — I positioned the people by [the strongest of] their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
Rashi
ואעמיד מתחתיות. לחומה, כאשר שמעתי דבריהם העמדתי מתחתיות לאותו מקום סביב לירושלים מאחורי לחומת העיר:
So I stationed from below...the wall When I heard their words, I stationed [mighty men] from below that place around Jerusalem, from behind the wall of the city and on the bare rocks.
בצחיחים. למשפחות מן העם מגבורים שבהם עם כלי זיין שבהם להלחם באויבינו כאשר יבאו:
according to families of the people, of the mighty men among them with their weapons, to fight against our enemies when they would come.
ואעמיד מתחתיות וגו'. ואעמיד את העם וגו' מקרא זה דוגמת והיו המים אשר תקח מן היאור וגו' והיו לדם ביבשת (שמות ד׳:ט׳) כי הנה אויביך ה' כי הנה אויביך יאבדו (תהילים צ״ב:י׳) עורי עורי דבורה עורי עורי דברי שיר (שופטים ה׳:י״ב) לא לנו ה' לא לנו (תהילים קט״ו:א׳):
And I stationed from below, etc. and I stationed the people, etc. This verse follows the pattern of (Exod. 4:9): “...and the water that you will take from the river will be...will become blood on the dry land;” (Ps. 92:10): “For behold, Your enemies, O Lord, for behold, Your enemies shall perish;” (Jud. 5:12): “Praise! Praise! Deborah. Praise! Praise! Utter a song;” (Ps. 115:1): “Not to us, O Lord, not to us.”
וָאֵרֶא וָאָקוּם וָאֹמַר אֶל־הַחֹרִים וְאֶל־הַסְּגָנִים וְאֶל־יֶתֶר הָעָם אַל־תִּֽירְאוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם אֶת־אֲדֹנָי הַגָּדוֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא זְכֹרוּ וְהִֽלָּחֲמוּ עַל־אֲחֵיכֶם בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶם נְשֵׁיכֶם וּבָתֵּיכֶֽם׃ {פ}
And when I saw [(the foe approaching)], I arose and said to the nobles, the officers, and the rest of the people: Do not fear them. Remember the great, awesome L-rd, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!
And when I saw [(the foe approaching)], I arose and said to the nobles, the officers, and the rest of the people: Do not fear them. Remember the great, awesome L-rd, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!
Rashi
וארא ואקום. וכאשר ראיתי האויבים באים קמתי לדבר אל החורים והסגנים לזרזם להלחם באויבינו:
And I saw, and I arose And when I saw the enemies coming, I arose to speak to the nobles and to the prefects to spur them to fight against our enemy.
על אחיכם. בשביל אחיכם:
for your brethren Heb. עַל אֲחֵיכֶם, for the sake of your brethren.
כי עלתה ארוכה. שנבנתה החומה:
was repaired Heb. עָלְתָה אָרוּכָה, [lit. attained a cure,] that the wall was built.