1. Nehemiah 4:17 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What is meant by “his weapon”?

Nehemiah 4:17 (ESV)

17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.

The term Nehemiah uses here describes an object one sends away, that is, a missile. In the present context, the term could refer to a stone or even a spear. The point is that the workers were effectively an instant army. If his weapon refers to a stone, the soldiers had a virtually endless supply lying at their feet.