Nehemiah 4:15

Nehemiah 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.

Context of Nehemiah 4:15

13Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. 16From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,

Nehemiah 4:15 word by word

וַיְהִ֞י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְע֤וּ אוֹיְבֵ֙ינוּ֙ כִּי־נ֣וֹדַֽע לָ֔נוּ וַיָּ֥פֶר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־עֲצָתָ֑ם וַנָּ֤שָׁב כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ אֶל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ אֶל־מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass, when our enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• that it was knownיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• unto us, and Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• had broughtפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
• their counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
• that we returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• all of us to the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• unto his workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:15

• 2 Samuel 15:31Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”
• 2 Samuel 17:14Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
• Job 5:12He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
• Psalms 33:10The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
• Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
• Isaiah 8:10Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
• Isaiah 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
• Lamentations 3:37Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it?
• 1 Corinthians 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;
• Mark 13:34It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
• Romans 12:11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:11and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you,

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Their counsel to naught - The word counsel used here countenances the emendation in the 12th verse.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. 15Nehemiah credited God (see also Nehemiah 2:20; 6:16). God had thwarted them through the people's prayers, the 24-hour patrol, the visible show of force, and confidence in God's protection.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 4:15

• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• God
• Armour
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Esdras, the First Book of
• armor, armory

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