complete verse (Nehemiah 4:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Nehemiah 4:17:

  • Kupsabiny: “Some people carried stones with one hand and had weapons all the time in the other hand.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “who were-building the stone-wall. While they work, the other hand hold the thing for-working and the other hand carry the weapon,” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “who were-building the fence. Those who carried-(from one location to another) what was-to-be-used, one of their hands carried weapons and the other, that’s what they used to work.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who carried baskets of supplies on their heads/shoulders and those who built the wall did their work with one hand, and held a weapon with the other hand.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Nehemiah 4:17

Those who carried the burdens were laden … with one hand on the work and with the other held his weapon: All of the different types of laborers needed to be ready to defend themselves as well. Although the text does not indicate what the burdens were, the stage of the work here suggests that Those who carried burdens were the basket-carriers taking supplies to the builders (contrast verse 10 above). They carried the baskets on their heads or shoulders holding them with one hand and they carried an unspecified weapon for defense with the other hand. New Jerusalem Bible identifies this weapon as a “spear” but it is not known what this weapon was. Like Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, the translator should use a general term for an object for fighting without identifying it.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Neh 4.:18

Each of the builders had his sword girded at his side while he built: The builders were the ones who were actually rebuilding the wall. These were the masons. They needed to work with two hands so they each had a sword strapped at their waist.

The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me: The one who would sound the alarm with a trumpet stayed with Nehemiah, who would give him the order when to do so. A trumpet was an instrument made from a ram’s horn. Good News Translation calls it a “bugle.” Contemporary English Version calls it a “signal trumpet.” The function of this instrument was to sound a warning or a call to battle. This instrument should be distinguished from the trumpets that were blown by the priests (see Ezra 3.10).

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .