Nehemiah 6 9

Nehemiah 6:9 kjv

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:9 nkjv

For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:9 niv

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah 6:9 esv

For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Nehemiah 6:9 nlt

They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.

Nehemiah 6 verses

Nehemiah 6 9 Meaning

Nehemiah 6:9 reveals the insidious strategy of Nehemiah’s adversaries: to induce fear and discouragement among the Jewish people, thereby causing them to cease the vital work of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. Their ultimate goal was to halt the project completely. In direct response to this discerned malicious intent, Nehemiah immediately turned to God, uttering a fervent prayer for divine strength to empower himself and his people to continue and complete the work despite the intimidation.

Nehemiah 6 9 Context

Nehemiah 6:9 is situated within a series of escalating conspiracies against Nehemiah and the work of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. By this point, the wall was nearly complete, with only the doors left to be set. The enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem—realizing their initial attempts at outright hostility, ridicule, and subtle deception had failed, intensified their psychological warfare. This verse follows multiple attempts to lure Nehemiah away from Jerusalem for supposed meetings (Ono plan), followed by an open letter containing false accusations of rebellion to King Artaxerxes. The climax of their internal tactics here involves attempts to induce fear and hire a false prophet (Shemaiah) to further discourage Nehemiah and discredit him, culminating in this targeted attack of fear-mongering designed to cause the laborers to abandon their work.

Historically, this occurred during the Persian period (circa 444 BC), a time when Judea was a province within the vast Achaemenid Empire. The rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, symbolizing restored national identity and security for the returned exiles, was seen as a threat by neighboring potentates, particularly Sanballat the Horonite (governor of Samaria) and Tobiah the Ammonite (an influential official), who viewed Jewish strength as a challenge to their regional dominance. Their opposition was fueled by political rivalry and perhaps a rejection of Judah’s unique religious identity under God’s covenant.

Nehemiah 6 9 Word analysis

• For they all: Emphasizes the collective nature of the opposition and the widespread intimidation tactics employed by Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and their allies.
• made us afraid: The Hebrew verb is yagorenu (יְגוֹרֵ֤נוּ), derived from the root gur (גּוּר), meaning to fear, to dread, or to gather (hostilely). Here, it conveys an active, intentional act of causing terror and discouragement. This was not accidental but a calculated psychological attack.
• thinking: The word conveys insight into the enemies' internal logic and malicious intent. They planned their intimidation with a clear objective.
• “Their hands will drop from the work,”: The Hebrew rāfū yedêhem (רָפ֤וּ יְדֵיהֶם֙), literally "their hands will slacken/become weak." This imagery denotes a loss of resolve, strength, and will to continue. "Dropping hands" is a vivid biblical idiom for ceasing work due to exhaustion, discouragement, or surrender. It contrasts sharply with "hands strengthened" for work (Neh 2:18).
• "and it will not be done.”: This reveals the ultimate malicious purpose behind the fear-mongering. Their objective was not merely to harass but to utterly halt the rebuilding, preventing Jerusalem's restoration and the strengthening of the Jewish people. This also hints at a spiritual opposition against God's restorative plans.
• But now: A stark adversative, signifying a crucial turning point or shift in perspective. It moves from observing the enemy's intent to articulating Nehemiah’s immediate, decisive, and godly response. This "but now" serves as a pivot from external pressure to internal, divine resolve.
• O God, : A direct, fervent appeal to the Sovereign Lord. It underscores Nehemiah's absolute dependence on divine intervention rather than his own power or strategy in the face of overwhelming human opposition.
• strengthen: The Hebrew ḥazzēq (חַזֵּ֤ק) is a Hiphil imperative of the root ḥāzaq (חָזַק), meaning to be strong, to make strong, to empower, or to seize firmly. It is an urgent command or plea for active divine empowerment. It directly counters the enemies' wish for hands to "drop" and seeks supernatural enabling for endurance.
• my hands. This plea for strength for "my hands" can be interpreted both literally for Nehemiah's personal resolve and figuratively for the collective effort under his leadership. Hands symbolize ability, action, and capacity for labor. It is a specific prayer for functional empowerment to complete the task.

Nehemiah 6 9 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "strengthen" (ḥāzaq) is a foundational term used throughout the Bible to describe divine empowerment, often in the context of great tasks or overwhelming challenges. For instance, God commanded Joshua to "be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9) using this same root, implying not just mental resolve but a supernatural enablement for leadership and action. Nehemiah’s prayer reflects an understanding that the work of God is sustained by God’s power, not human might. The enemy's attempt to weaken "hands" (symbolizing labor) reveals their understanding of this link: weaken the people's resolve, and the work ceases. Nehemiah’s prayer precisely counteracts this by appealing for strength where it matters most for continued action. His response epitomizes vigilance and immediate recourse to God, not succumbing to intimidation but actively seeking divine aid.

Nehemiah 6 9 Commentary

Nehemiah 6:9 distills a foundational principle of spiritual warfare and steadfast leadership: discerning the enemy’s true objective and immediately resorting to divine strength. The adversaries employed psychological warfare, aiming to paralyze the builders with fear, knowing that demoralization leads to cessation of work. This tactic reveals that opposition to God’s work often targets not physical destruction, but the will and faith of God’s people.

Nehemiah’s response is a model of faith-filled prayer. Instead of reacting with despair, counter-threats, or immediate physical confrontation, he processes the enemy's intention ("thinking, 'Their hands will drop'") and instantaneously elevates the battle to the spiritual realm by turning to God. His prayer "strengthen my hands" is profoundly humble yet resolute. It acknowledges human frailty in the face of daunting odds while reaffirming absolute reliance on God’s power to complete what seems impossible. This verse powerfully illustrates that spiritual strength, derived directly from God, is essential for persevering in kingdom work when human resolve and resources threaten to fail.

• Example: When facing discouragement in a church ministry project due to critical voices, one might echo Nehemiah’s prayer for "strengthen my hands" to continue serving with resolve.
• Example: In a time of personal spiritual attack leading to apathy, remembering that the enemy aims for our "hands to drop" prompts a return to prayer for God's empowering Spirit.