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
In the book of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from Babylonian exile and were working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which had been destroyed for protection and to symbolize their restored identity. They faced intense opposition from neighboring enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah, who threatened violence to halt the project, forcing the workers to balance construction with constant vigilance. As a result, Nehemiah and his team, including guards, stayed fully dressed at all times except for washing, to remain prepared for any sudden attack.
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