Translations
KJVPrimary
King James VersionThey which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
F.O.G.Secondary
The F.O.Gthose who were building on the wall and those who bore the burdens—each laboured at the work with one hand while the other held his weapon.
F.O.G.M.
F.O.G Messagethe builders on the wall and the burden-bearers alike—each worked with one hand and gripped a weapon with the other.
BSB
Berean Standard Biblewho were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
Footnotes
Vv. 16–17 form a single extended Hebrew sentence describing a remarkable scene of dual labour: every worker is simultaneously a builder and a soldier. The word *hallāḥ* or *šelaḥ* ("weapon, projectile") is deliberately non-specific—it could mean javelin, dart, or simply "sending instrument." The image of one hand building, one hand arming, becomes iconic of the entire Nehemiah enterprise: the work of restoration conducted under existential threat, with no luxury of safety. FOG renders the sentence structure faithfully across both verses. FOG Message breaks it for readability while preserving the dual-action image.
