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 Living Translation (NLT)When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God.

Context of Nehemiah 6:16

14My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid. 15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. 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. 17Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them. 18For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah 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 of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.
• Nehemiah 4:1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
• Nehemiah 6:1Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),
• Exodus 14:25And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”
• Numbers 23:23“For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’
• Joshua 5:1So it was, when all the kings of the Amorites who were on the west side of the Jordan, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, that their heart melted; and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the children of Israel.
• Psalms 126:2Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
• Acts 5:38And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;

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
• 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