Nehemiah 4 8

Nehemiah 4:8 kjv

And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

Nehemiah 4:8 nkjv

and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.

Nehemiah 4:8 niv

They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

Nehemiah 4:8 esv

And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

Nehemiah 4:8 nlt

They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion.

Nehemiah 4 verses

Nehemiah 4 8 Meaning

Nehemiah 4:8 describes the unified and deliberate plan of Jerusalem's adversaries – Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites – who, having previously mocked the wall-building efforts, escalated their opposition. They conspired in one accord to launch a physical assault on Jerusalem, with the specific intent not merely to attack, but to sow internal discord, panic, and disorder within the city and among the workers, thereby forcing a cessation of the rebuilding work.

Nehemiah 4 8 Context

Nehemiah chapter 4 narrates the escalating opposition faced by Nehemiah and the people of Judah as they diligently rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Following initial scorn and mockery (Neh 4:1-3) from Sanballat, Tobiah, and their allies, this verse marks a crucial shift. The adversaries move from verbal derision to planning physical violence. The previous chapter details the organized effort of building, with specific groups assigned sections of the wall. This collective threat from multiple surrounding groups (Samaritans, Ammonites, Arabs, Ashdodites) presented a significant challenge, forcing Nehemiah to equip the workers with both building tools and weapons (Neh 4:9, 16-18) and to strategize watchfulness (Neh 4:9, 12, 16-20). The historical context is post-exilic, a fragile time for the returned remnant. Rebuilding Jerusalem's walls symbolized a re-establishment of Judah's identity, security, and obedience to God, a reality actively resisted by those who held regional power and feared a strong Judean presence.

Nehemiah 4 8 Word analysis

• and all of them (וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ כֻלָּם, vayyiqshərû ḵullām):
  • "all of them": Highlights the unified nature of the opposition. It was not a fragmented, individual effort but a consolidated, deliberate pact among multiple hostile factions: Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites. This broad alliance signifies a greater threat than local skirmishes and underscores the pervasive nature of hostility toward God's work. The numerical strength of the alliance aimed to intimidate and overwhelm.
• conspired together (וַיִּקְשְׁרוּ כֻלָּם יַחְדָּו, vayyiqshərû ḵullām yaḥdāv):
  • "conspired" (קָשַׁר, qāshar): Literally "to tie," "bind," "band together," "conspire." This word implies a secret or nefarious plot. It denotes a deliberate, malicious, and organized plan, suggesting a unified intent to do harm. It goes beyond simple disagreement; it signifies a binding agreement to work against Nehemiah and Judah. This same root is used elsewhere in the Bible for rebellions or coups, signifying serious, unified intent to disrupt established order.
  • "together" (יַחְדָּו, yaḥdāv): Emphasizes the complete unity and unanimity of their malicious intent. Their combined forces and single purpose made the threat more formidable. This unity in evil stands in stark contrast to the earlier unified building effort of God's people, suggesting a spiritual battle.
• to come and fight against Jerusalem (לָבֹוא לְהִלָּחֵם בִּירוּשָׁלִָם, lāvōʾ ləhillāḥēm bîrûshālēm):
  • "to come and fight": Signifies active aggression and military action. Their intent moved beyond verbal attacks to a full-blown military assault. This escalation demonstrates their desperation and increasing frustration as the wall approached completion.
  • "against Jerusalem": The specific target was not just Nehemiah or the workers, but Jerusalem itself—the holy city, the chosen place of God's presence, the heart of the re-established covenant community. Attacking Jerusalem was an assault on God's chosen people and His redemptive plan. The enemy recognized Jerusalem's spiritual and symbolic importance.
• and to cause confusion in it (וְלַעֲשֹוֹת לֹו מְהוּמָה, vəla‘aśôt lô məhûmāh):
  • "to cause confusion" (מְהוּמָה, məhûmāh): This key term denotes disorder, tumult, panic, discomfiture, rout, or destruction. It's more than just a fight; the deeper goal was psychological warfare – to create chaos, disrupt internal cohesion, induce panic among the workers, leading to disorganization, and ultimately a halt in the rebuilding. The enemy sought to exploit fear and disunity to stop God's work from within. This method reflects a common tactic of spiritual adversaries.
  • "in it": Refers to Jerusalem itself. The confusion would lead to disarray among the inhabitants and builders, stopping the work and potentially scattering the community.

Nehemiah 4 8 Bonus section

The type of "confusion" (מְהוּמָה, məhûmāh) the enemies sought to sow in Jerusalem is significant. It's not just disarray but a divine-like confusion, similar to how God caused confusion among the enemies of His people (e.g., Ex 14:24 for Egyptians, 1 Sam 14:20 for Philistines). The adversaries here sought to wield a tool often reserved for God, aiming to dismantle the restoration work by psychological and spiritual means, breaking the will of the people. This suggests a pattern where those opposing God's plan attempt to use the very tactics God sometimes employs against the wicked, highlighting the spiritual nature of their antagonism. The collective action of the diverse enemy groups points to a unifying spirit of anti-God opposition that transcends mere tribal animosities, demonstrating how various elements can band together for a single wicked purpose when aligned against the divine will.

Nehemiah 4 8 Commentary

Nehemiah 4:8 lays bare the intense and coordinated opposition to God's work. What began as scoffing in earlier verses here evolves into a direct, violent conspiracy. The enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites—unified in a malevolent purpose, banding together with the specific intent of a military attack. Their objective, however, went beyond mere physical confrontation; they aimed to inflict a deep sense of internal disarray, panic, and chaos within Jerusalem. The Hebrew word məhûmāh underscores this desire for deep-seated confusion, meant to break the resolve and unity of the builders, effectively dismantling their efforts and disheartening them from within. This reflects a profound spiritual principle: genuine efforts for God's kingdom invariably provoke fierce, often cunning, opposition from those aligned against Him. Such opposition frequently targets not just outward work but also internal unity and spiritual morale. Nehemiah's response (prayer and setting a watch) exemplifies the right spiritual and practical response to such a multifaceted threat. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that while the physical adversaries may seem formidable, the true battle often aims for disheartenment and internal division among God's people, rather than just physical conquest.