Tanach
Nechemyah 4:9-17 נחמיה ד׳:ט׳-י״ז
Part of: Chapter 4
Reading: Hebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlyHebrew · Simple EnglishHebrew · Faithful translationHebrew onlySimple English onlyFaithful translation onlySide by sideRashi
וַיְהִי כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְעוּ אוֹיְבֵינוּ כִּי־נוֹדַֽע לָנוּ וַיָּפֶר הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת־עֲצָתָם (ונשוב) [וַנָּשׇׁב] כֻּלָּנוּ אֶל־הַחוֹמָה אִישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃
And it was, when our foes heard that [their intent] was known to us, G-d destroyed their counsel and we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
And it was, when our foes heard that [their intent] was known to us, G-d destroyed their counsel and we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
Rashi
ונשב כלנו. חזרנו כלנו ממקום שנאספנו יחד לקראת האויבים כל אחד ואחד במלאכתו לבנין החומה:
and we all returned We all returned from the place where we had gathered to meet the enemies, each one to his work in the building of the wall.
וַיְהִי ׀ מִן־הַיּוֹם הַהוּא חֲצִי נְעָרַי עֹשִׂים בַּמְּלָאכָה וְחֶצְיָם מַחֲזִיקִים וְהָרְמָחִים הַמָּגִנִּים וְהַקְּשָׁתוֹת וְהַשִּׁרְיֹנִים וְהַשָּׂרִים אַחֲרֵי כׇּל־בֵּית יְהוּדָֽה׃
And it was, from that day on, that half of my [strong] youths did the work [on the wall] while the [other] half held the spears, the shields, the bows and the armor. And the chiefs backed up all [the tribes of] the house of Judah.
And it was, from that day on, that half of my [strong] youths did the work [on the wall] while the [other] half held the spears, the shields, the bows and the armor. And the chiefs backed up all [the tribes of] the house of Judah.
Rashi
ויהי מן היום ההוא. ומאותו יום והלאה היו חצי הגבורים עושים בבנין החומה ושאר חצי הגבורים היו מזויינים בכלי זיינם לשמור אחיהם העושים במלאכה:
And it was from that day on And from that day on, half the mighty men worked at the building of the wall, and the remaining half of the mighty men were armed with weapons to guard their brethren who were doing the work.
והרמחים. וי"ו יתירה כמו וי"ו של ואיה וענה (ראשית לו):
spears Heb. וְהָרְמָחִים. The “vav” is superfluous, like the “vav” of (Gen. 36: 24): “And these are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah (וְאַיָה) and Anah.”
והשרים. היו מחוברים אחרי כל שבט יהודה להיות זהירים במלחמה:
and the rulers were close behind the entire tribe of Judah to be cautious in the battle.
הַבּוֹנִים בַּחוֹמָה וְהַנֹּשְׂאִים בַּסֶּבֶל עֹמְשִׂים בְּאַחַת יָדוֹ עֹשֶׂה בַמְּלָאכָה וְאַחַת מַחֲזֶקֶת הַשָּֽׁלַח׃
The builders of the wall and the carriers of the loads, with one hand did their work, and with the other held a weapon.
The builders of the wall and the carriers of the loads, with one hand did their work, and with the other held a weapon.
Rashi
הבונים בחומה וגו'. אותם שהיו בונין ואותן שהיו עומסים ונושאים המשאות ביד אחת היו עושים מלאכתן וביד אחת היו נושאים כלי זיין:
The builders of the wall, etc. Those who were building the wall and those who were loading and carrying the loads were working with one hand, and carrying weapons with the other.
השלח. כלי קרב כמו מעבור בשלח (איוב ל״ג:י״ח) וכן חברו מנחם:
the sword Heb. הַשָּׁלַח, an implement of war, like (Job 33:18): “...from perishing by the sword (מֵעֲבֹר בַּשָּׁלַח). And so did Menahem associate it (Machbereth Menahem p. 174).
וְהַבּוֹנִים אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ אֲסוּרִים עַל־מׇתְנָיו וּבוֹנִים וְהַתּוֹקֵעַ בַּשּׁוֹפָר אֶצְלִֽי׃
And each man built, with his sword tied to his thighs; and the blower of the shofar [(to alert the men in case of an attack)] was [always] at my side.
And each man built, with his sword tied to his thighs; and the blower of the shofar [(to alert the men in case of an attack)] was [always] at my side.
Rashi
והבונים. כיצד הם בונים שהיו כולם חגורים איש חרבו על מתניו ובונים:
And the builders How were they building? They were all girded, each one with his sword on his waist, and thus did they build.
אצלי. הוא היה תדיר אצלי:
beside me He was always beside me.
וָאֹמַר אֶל־הַחֹרִים וְאֶל־הַסְּגָנִים וְאֶל־יֶתֶר הָעָם הַמְּלָאכָה הַרְבֵּה וּרְחָבָה וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִפְרָדִים עַל־הַחוֹמָה רְחוֹקִים אִישׁ מֵאָחִֽיו׃
And I said to the nobles and to the officers and to the rest of the people: The work is great and wide [spread], and we are separated on the wall, distant, one from the other.
And I said to the nobles and to the officers and to the rest of the people: The work is great and wide [spread], and we are separated on the wall, distant, one from the other.
Rashi
הרבה. היא גדולה:
much Heb. הַרְבֵּה, a great [amount of work].
בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת־קוֹל הַשּׁוֹפָר שָׁמָּה תִּקָּבְצוּ אֵלֵינוּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ יִלָּחֶם לָֽנוּ׃
In the place where you hear the sound of the shofar, there shall you gather to us, (and) G-d shall fight for us.
In the place where you hear the sound of the shofar, there shall you gather to us, (and) G-d shall fight for us.
Rashi
ילחם לנו. ילחם בעדינו:
will fight for us [as translated,] will fight for us.
וַאֲנַחְנוּ עֹשִׂים בַּמְּלָאכָה וְחֶצְיָם מַחֲזִיקִים בָּֽרְמָחִים מֵעֲלוֹת הַשַּׁחַר עַד צֵאת הַכּוֹכָבִֽים׃
And we did the work, and half held the spears, from dawn until dusk.
And we did the work, and half held the spears, from dawn until dusk.
גַּם בָּעֵת הַהִיא אָמַרְתִּי לָעָם אִישׁ וְנַעֲרוֹ יָלִינוּ בְּתוֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם וְהָֽיוּ־לָנוּ הַלַּיְלָה מִשְׁמָר וְהַיּוֹם מְלָאכָֽה׃
Also at that time I said to the people: Let each man and his youth spend the night in Jerusalem — so that the night was for us for guarding, and the day for work.
Also at that time I said to the people: Let each man and his youth spend the night in Jerusalem — so that the night was for us for guarding, and the day for work.
Rashi
איש ונערו. כל אחד ואחד מן הבונים ובחור אחד עמו:
Let each man and his youth each of the builders and a youth with him.
ילינו בתוך ירושלים. והלילה היה להם למשמר והיום עושים מלאכה נמצא שלא היו ישנים כלום:
lodge in the midst of Jerusalem And the night was for their watch, and [during] the day they were doing work. The result was that they did not sleep at all.
וְאֵין אֲנִי וְאַחַי וּנְעָרַי וְאַנְשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁמָר אֲשֶׁר אַחֲרַי אֵין־אֲנַחְנוּ פֹשְׁטִים בְּגָדֵינוּ אִישׁ שִׁלְחוֹ הַמָּֽיִם׃ {פ}
And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my youths, nor the men of the watch after me took off our clothes [to sleep] or [to wash them] in water.
And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my youths, nor the men of the watch after me took off our clothes [to sleep] or [to wash them] in water.
Rashi
אין אנחנו פושטים בגדינו. תמיד היינו זריזים במשמר:
we did not take off our clothes We were always zealous in guarding.
איש שלחו המים. מיסב על אין שלמעלה כמו (שמואל א' ב') יצא עתק מפיכם אין איש ממנו פושט בגדיו לשכב או לרחוץ אותם במים וכפל לשון הוא על אין אנחנו פושטים:
man took it even to the water This refers back to “not” above, like (I Sam. 2:3): “...let not arrogance come out of your mouth.” None of us would take off his clothes to lie down or to wash them with water, and this is a double expression, [repeating,] we did not undress.
שלחו. הפשט כמו (ויקרא ו׳:ד׳) ופשט את בגדיו דמתורגם ושלח:
took it off Heb. שִּׁלְחוֹ, taking off, like (Lev. 6: 4): “He shall then take off his garments,” which is translated by Targum as וְיִשְּׁלַח.
כי נודע לנו. הדבר אשר באו להלחם בנו:
that it had become known to us that they were coming to fight against us.