Nehemiah 4:9

9 And we pray unto our God, and appoint a watch against them, by day and by night, because of them.

Nehemiah 4:9 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 4:9

Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God
Spread their case before him in prayer, entreating direction and help from him:

and set a watch against them day and night, because of them;
to give notice of their approach, that they might prepare to defend themselves; though they prayed to God, and trusted in him for deliverance, they did not neglect the use of means.

Nehemiah 4:9 In-Context

7 And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, that lengthening hath gone up to the walls of Jerusalem, that the breeches have begun to be stopped, then it is very displeasing to them,
8 and they conspire, all of them together, to come in to fight against Jerusalem, and to do to it injury.
9 And we pray unto our God, and appoint a watch against them, by day and by night, because of them.
10 And Judah saith, `The power of the burden-bearers hath become feeble, and the rubbish [is] abundant, and we are not able to build on the wall.'
11 And our adversaries say, `They do not know, nor see, till that we come in to their midst, and have slain them, and caused the work to cease.'
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.