The Meaning of Nehemiah 4:14 Explained

Nehemiah 4:14

KJV: And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

YLT: And I see, and rise up, and say unto the freemen, and unto the prefects, and unto the rest of the people, 'Be not afraid of them; the Lord, the great and the fearful, remember ye, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.'

Darby: And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.

ASV: And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I looked,  and rose up,  and said  unto the nobles,  and to the rulers,  and to the rest  of the people,  Be not ye afraid  of them:  remember  the Lord,  [which is] great  and terrible,  and fight  for your brethren,  your sons,  and your daughters,  your wives,  and your houses. 

What does Nehemiah 4:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 4:13-23 - The Triumph Of Courage And Devotion
The work of rebuilding the ruins of Zion is typical of our efforts as Christians to counteract the deterioration which is ever at work in our own hearts, in the professing Church, and in society. No one who attempts this work will escape hostility, covert or manifested. That is a suggestive attitude pictured here; the girded sword, the spear in one hand, and the trowel in the other. So they wrought, with ear intent for the trumpet sound, ready for any emergency, and yet sure that God would fight for them. All the people of God should make common cause against a common foe. We stand or fall together, Nehemiah 4:20. Our hands must be familiar with the sword against the attack of our spiritual enemies, and with the trowel to contribute our bit of work towards God's building. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 4

1  While the enemies scoff, Nehemiah prays and continues the work
7  Understanding the wrath and secrets of the enemy, he sets a watch
13  He arms the laborers
19  and gives military precepts

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 4:14 mean?

And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the leaders the rest of the people not do be afraid of them - the Lord great and awesome Remember and fight for your brothers your sons and your daughters your wives and your houses -
וָאֵ֣רֶא וָאָק֗וּם וָאֹמַ֞ר אֶל־ הַחֹרִ֤ים וְאֶל־ הַסְּגָנִים֙ יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם אַל־ תִּֽירְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם אֶת־ אֲדֹנָ֞י הַגָּד֤וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָא֙ זְכֹ֔רוּ וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֗וּ עַל־ אֲחֵיכֶם֙ בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֔ם נְשֵׁיכֶ֖ם וּבָתֵּיכֶֽם פ

וָאֵ֣רֶא  And  I  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וָאָק֗וּם  and  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וָאֹמַ֞ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַחֹרִ֤ים  the  nobles 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹר  
Sense: a noble, freeborn one.
וְאֶל־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַסְּגָנִים֙  the  leaders 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֶגֶן  
Sense: ruler, prefect, governor, a subordinate ruler.
יֶ֣תֶר  the  rest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
הָעָ֔ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
תִּֽירְא֖וּ  do  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲדֹנָ֞י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
הַגָּד֤וֹל  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְהַנּוֹרָא֙  and  awesome 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
זְכֹ֔רוּ  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
וְהִֽלָּחֲמ֗וּ  and  fight 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
אֲחֵיכֶם֙  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם  your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֔ם  and  your  daughters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
נְשֵׁיכֶ֖ם  your  wives 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
וּבָתֵּיכֶֽם  and  your  houses 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation