Nehemiah 4:9

Nehemiah 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
• New International Version (NIV)But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

Context of Nehemiah 4:9

7When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious, 8and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.” 11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”

Nehemiah 4:9 word by word

וַנִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנַּעֲמִ֨יד מִשְׁמָ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹמָ֥ם וָלַ֖יְלָה מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

• So we prayedפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• and postedעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• a guardמִשְׁמָרmishmâr · custodyH4929
• against themעַל‛al · uponH5921
• against themפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
• dayיוֹמָםyômâm · by dayH3119
• and nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:9

• Nehemiah 4:11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”
• Genesis 32:9Then Jacob declared, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, the LORD who told me, ‘Go back to your country and to your kindred, and I will make you prosper,’
• 2 Kings 19:14So Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, read it, and went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.
• Psalms 50:15Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
• Psalms 55:16But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
• Luke 6:11But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
• Acts 4:24When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.
• Matthew 26:41“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
• Luke 21:36So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”
• 1 Peter 5:8Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch - The strongest confidence in the protection and favor of God does not preclude the use of all or any of the means of self-preservation and defense which his providence has put in our power. While God works in us to will and to do, we should proceed to willing, through the power he has given us to will; and we should proceed to action, through the power he has given us to act. We cannot will, but through…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Because of them - Or, “over against them,” i. e. opposite to the place where they were encamped, probably on the north side of the city.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 The hindering good work is what bad men aim at, and promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light, and so of bringing to nought, the devices and designs of his church's enemies. If our enemies cannot frighten us from duty, or deceive us into sin, they cannot hurt us. Nehemiah put himself and his cause under the Divine protection. It was the way of this good man, and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9we prayed...and posted a guard: This wise approach to the threat involved both trusting in God and taking necessary actions.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-237-21. But ... when Sanballat ... heard that the walls ... were made up, and ... the breaches ... stopped--The rapid progress of the fortifications, despite all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy. So they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their works, and disperse or intimidate the builders. The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 4:9

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Prayer
• Temptation
• Watchfulness
• Watchman

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Day and Night
• Armour
• Sanballat
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Prayer
• Watch

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings