Bible study · Nehemiah 4:1-23
Nehemiah 4: One hand on the work
Read Nehemiah 4:1-23 before you meet.
In a few lines
The wall "was joined together" (4:6), and the enemies "all conspired together" (4:8): in Hebrew it is one verb. And two of the chapter's words stand side by side in 4:22: by night a mishmar, the "watch" that was set with a prayer in 4:9, and by day mela'khah, the "work".
The verse to carry
“I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.””
Nehemiah 4:14
To talk about
1. "We made our prayer to our God, and set a watch" (4:9). Think of something you're facing this week. What would praying about it look like, and what would keeping watch look like?
2. "The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading" (4:10). When have you felt like that? What helped you back to the wall, or what would?
3. "We are separated on the wall, far from one another" (4:19), so Nehemiah told them to rally where the trumpet sounded (4:20). Who in your life is working far from everyone else right now, and how could you rally to them?