New American Standard Bible 1995

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Nehemiah

4

:

17

Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Those who were rebuilding to build Verb H1129 הַבֹּונִ֧ים hab·bo·v·nim
the wall a wall Noun H2346 בַּחֹומָ֛ה ba·cho·v·mah
and those who carried to lift, carry, take Verb H5375 וְהַנֹּשְׂאִ֥ים ve·han·no·se·'im
burdens a load, burden Noun H5447 בַּסֶּ֖בֶל bas·se·vel
took [their] load to load, carry a load Verb H6006 עֹמְשִׂ֑ים o·me·sim;
with one one Adjective H259 בְּאַחַ֤ת be·'a·chat
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

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hand hand Noun H3027 יָדֹו֙ ya·dov
doing do, make Verb H6213 עֹשֶׂ֣ה o·seh
the work occupation, work Noun H4399 בַמְּלָאכָ֔ה vam·me·la·chah,
and the other one Adjective H259 וְאַחַ֖ת ve·'a·chat
holding to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen Verb H2388 מַחֲזֶ֥קֶת ma·cha·ze·ket
a weapon. a missile, weapon, sprout Noun H7973 הַשָּֽׁלַח׃ ha·sha·lach.

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.
King James Bible Those who were rebuilding They which builded on the wall wall, and they that bare burdens, with those who carried burdens took their load that laded, every one with one hand doing of his hands wrought in the work work, and with the other holding hand held a weapon.
Hebrew Greek English Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.