No, that would truly be impossible;
however, the original Hebrew text is much more revealing.
The Hebrew literally says: “…with one hand doing the work, and with the other, each his weapon as water.” This phrasing has puzzled interpreters for centuries. How can a weapon be like water? What does this expression mean?
Some suggest they kept their weapons even while in the water (i.e., while washing themselves). Others simply omit the word “water” because it is too hard to explain, as in the Septuagint.
But the Spirit of God does not waste words; when Scripture shows us something unusual, it urges us to pay close attention. By interpreting this passage in light of the strong symbolism already present in this chapter—especially the Water Gate and the deep Jewish connection between water and the Torah, the Word of God—a remarkable insight arises.
The text shows that what truly protected Israel during its rebuilding was not a physical sword but God’s spiritual weapon—the Word. In the context of the book, the unclear phrase suddenly becomes clear. Their true weapon was “as water” because their real defense was faith in the Word of God.
This transforms Nehemiah 4:17 into a prophetic view of how God builds His people, with one hand working and the Word—the true weapon—in the other. It calls every believer: Build faithfully and fight with Scripture. Not through human strength or earthly power, but with the everlasting, unstoppable power of the Word of God, who is the Messiah Himself, the Living Torah.
And the New Testament appears to support this interpretation of the sword as the Word. The Spirit of God gives us the clue to Nehemiah 4:17 in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword…” It is not the soldier’s sword that kept Israel safe. It wasn’t military strength that secured their future. It has always been and remains the living, active Word of God, sharper than any earthly sword, able to pierce to the very heart.