So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
So none of us—not me, my relatives, my servants, or the guards who stayed with me—took off our clothes to sleep. We only removed them when we needed to wash them.
Nehemiah is describing how he and his team stayed completely ready for action, even sleeping in their clothes, because they faced constant danger while rebuilding Jerusalem's walls.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was leading the effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls around 445 BC, but faced intense opposition from surrounding enemies who threatened attacks. The work was so dangerous that the builders had to work with weapons in hand, and Nehemiah's leadership team maintained constant vigilance. This verse shows the extreme security measures they took, staying dressed and ready to respond to threats at any moment.
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