Nehemiah 6:9

9 —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 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:9

For they all made us afraid
Or you all, as Aben Ezra interprets it; or all the Heathen nations, as Jarchi; this was the design of all those scandalous reports, to intimidate them, and with this they pleased themselves, as follows:

their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done;
this they hoped would be the effect of those reports sent to them:

now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands;
and let them not have what they will, and hope for; according to Aben Ezra, these words are directed to Sanballat, that if he was a friend, as he pretended, that instead of weakening, he would strengthen his hands by a sincere reconciliation; so Vatablus; but they are an address to God, such short ejaculations being usual with Nehemiah.

Nehemiah 6:9 In-Context

7 You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, "There is a king in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together."

8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done; you are inventing them out of your own mind"

9 —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.

10 One day when I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, tonight they are coming to kill you."

11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"