Nehemiah 6:16

Nehemiah 6:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
• New International Version (NIV)When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

Context of Nehemiah 6:16

14Remember, O My God, Tobiah and Sanballat in regard to these actions of theirs, and also [remember] the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me. 15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about it, and all the [Gentile] nations around us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17Moreover, in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

Nehemiah 6:16 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבֵ֔ינוּ וַיִּֽרְא֗וּ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִֽיבֹתֵ֔ינוּ וַיִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֚י מֵאֵ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה הַמְּלָאכָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, that when all our enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• and all the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• about usסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• they were muchמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• cast downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• in their own eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• for they perceivedיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that this workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
• was wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• of our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Nehemiah 6:16

• Nehemiah 2:10When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it caused them great displeasure that someone had come to see about the welfare and prosperity of the Israelites.
• Nehemiah 4:1But when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious, completely enraged, and he ridiculed the Jews.
• Nehemiah 6:1Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, although at that time I had not set up doors in the gates,
• Exodus 14:25He made their chariot wheels hard to turn, and the chariots difficult to drive; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”
• Numbers 23:23For there is no enchantment or omen against Jacob, Nor is there any divination against Israel. At the proper time it shall be said to Jacob And to Israel, what has God done!
• Joshua 5:1Now it happened when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted [in despair], and there was no [fighting] spirit in them any longer because of the Israelites [and what God had done for them].
• Psalms 126:2Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
• Acts 5:38So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men [merely human in origin], it will fail and be destroyed;

Commentaries on Nehemiah 6:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16This work was wrought of our God - This is an additional reason why we should not wonder at the shortness of the time in which so great a work was done, for God helped them by an especial providence; and this was so very observable, that their carnal enemies could discover it.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 The wall was begun and finished in fifty-two days, though they rested on the sabbaths. A great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we set about it in earnest, and keep close to it. See the mischief of marrying with strangers. When men once became akin to Tobiah, they soon became sworn to him. A sinful love leads to a sinful league. The enemy of souls employs many instruments, and forms many projects, to bring reproach on the active…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16in fifty-two days: Everyone understood that God's help made this success possible (see also Nehemiah 1:11; 2:8, 18, 20; 4:15, 20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-192-4. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me--The Samaritan leaders, convinced that they could not overcome Nehemiah by open arms, resolved to gain advantage over him by deceit and stratagem. With this in view, under pretext of terminating their differences in an amicable manner, they invited him to a conference. The place of rendezvous was fixed "in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono." "In the villages" is, Hebrew, "in Cephirim," or "Chephirah,"…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Feign
• Noble
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic

Commentaries on Nehemiah 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings