Nehemiah 4:13 — Meaning and Application

And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us {they will be upon you}. {From all...: or, That from all places ye must return to us}

Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, {and} on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. {in the...: Heb. from the lower parts of the place, etc}

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.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.