Nehemiah 6:9

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But now, strengthen my hands!

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֣י כֻלָּ֗ם מְיָֽרְאִ֤ים אוֹתָ֙נוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יִרְפּ֧וּ יְדֵיהֶ֛ם מִן־הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תֵעָשֶׂ֑ה וְעַתָּ֖ה חַזֵּ֥ק אֶת־יָדָֽי

Transliteration

For all-of-them məyārəʾîm us lēʾmōr yirpû yədêhem from-the-məlākâ and-not tēʿāśeh and-now ḥazzēq ʾet-yādāy

Grammar Details

• *məyārəʾîm*: verb, piel participle mp - frightening
• *lēʾmōr*: preposition + verb, qal infinitive construct - to say
• *yirpû*: verb, qal imperfect 3mp - they will weaken
• *yədêhem*: noun, feminine dual construct + 3mp suffix - their hands
• *məlākâ*: noun, feminine singular - work/task
• *tēʿāśeh*: verb, niphal imperfect 3fs - it will be done
• *ḥazzēq*: verb, piel imperative ms - strengthen
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *yādāy*: noun, feminine dual construct + 1cs suffix - my hands

Word Meanings

• *məyārəʾîm*: frightening/intimidating
• *lēʾmōr*: saying
• *yirpû*: they will weaken/slacken/drop
• *yədêhem*: their hands (figuratively: their strength/efforts)
• *məlākâ*: work/task/project
• *tēʿāśeh*: it will be done/completed/accomplished
• *ḥazzēq*: strengthen/make firm

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

• KJV1611 – Modern English

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

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For they all would have made us afraid,{H3372} saying,{H559} Their hands{H3027} shall be weakened{H7503} from the work,{H4399} that it be not done.{H6213} But now, [O God], strengthen{H2388} thou my hands.{H3027}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For they all made us afraid{H3372}{(H8764)}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Their hands{H3027} shall be weakened{H7503}{(H8799)} from the work{H4399}, that it be not done{H6213}{(H8735)}. Now therefore, O God, strengthen{H2388}{(H8761)} my hands{H3027}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For they were all mynded to make us afrayed, and thoughte: They shal withdrawe their handes from the worke, yt they shal not laboure. Howbeit I stregthed my hande the more.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For all they afrayed vs, saying, Their handes shalbe weakened from the worke, and it shall not be done: nowe therefore incourage thou me.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For they were all minded to make vs afrayde, saying, They shall withdrawe their handes from their worke, that it shall not be finished: Nowe therefore strengthen thou my hande.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it not be done. But now, [God], strengthen you my hands.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  for all of them are making us afraid, saying, `Their hands are too feeble for the work, and it is not done;' and now, strengthen Thou my hands.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, `O God', strengthen thou my hands.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, [O God], strengthen thou my hands.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For they were hoping to put fear in us, saying, Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done. But now, O God, make my hands strong.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For they all would have made us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done. But now, [God], strengthen my hands."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing,“Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.” So now, strengthen my hands!

Referenced Verses

• Ps 138:3 : 3 On the day I called, you answered me; you made me bold and strengthened my soul.
• Phil 4:13 : 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
• Heb 12:12 : 12 Therefore, strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
• 1 Pet 5:10 : 10 But the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will Himself restore, establish, strengthen, and uphold you.
• Isa 35:3-4 : 3 Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong; do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with divine retribution. He will come and save you.'
• Isa 41:10 : 10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; indeed, I will help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
• Jer 38:4 : 4 The officials said to the king, "This man must be put to death, because he is discouraging the soldiers who remain in the city and all the people by speaking these words to them. He is not seeking the welfare of this people, but only their harm."
• Zech 10:12 : 12 I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk, declares the LORD.
• 2 Cor 12:9 : 9 But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
• Eph 3:16 : 16 I pray that out of the riches of His glory, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
• Eph 6:10 : 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
• 1 Sam 30:6 : 6 David was greatly distressed because the people talked about stoning him. They were all bitter in spirit because of their sons and daughters, but David found strength in the Lord his God.
• 2 Chr 15:7 : 7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands hang limp, for your work will be rewarded.
• 2 Chr 32:18 : 18 They called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city.
• Ezra 4:1-9 : 1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here." 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel said to them, "You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded us." 4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build. 5 They hired counselors against them to frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus, king of Persia, and until the reign of Darius, king of Persia. 6 At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote to Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. 8 Rehum, the commander, and Shimshai, the scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes, as follows: 9 Then Rehum, the commander, Shimshai, the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials, the Tarpelites, the Apharsathchites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the peoples whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal deported and settled in the city of Samaria and in the rest of the region beyond the River—now, 11 this is a copy of the letter they sent to him: "To King Artaxerxes: From your servants, the men of the region beyond the River, and now. 12 Let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have arrived in Jerusalem. They are rebuilding the rebellious and wicked city, completing the walls and repairing its foundations. 13 Now let it be known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, they will not pay tribute, taxes, or customs, and the king’s treasury will suffer. 14 Now, because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, we are sending this message to inform the king. 15 So let a search be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, harmful to kings and provinces, and that rebellion has been stirred up in it since ancient times. That is why this city was destroyed. 16 We are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, then you will have no control over the region beyond the River. 17 The king sent this reply: To Rehum, the commander, Shimshai, the scribe, and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and the rest of the region beyond the River: Greetings. And now, 18 The letter you sent to us has been read and clearly understood before me. 19 I gave the order, and a search was made. It was found that this city has a long history of revolting against kings and engaging in rebellion and sedition. 20 Mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the entire region beyond the River, and taxes, tribute, and customs were paid to them. 21 Now give orders to stop these men and prevent this city from being rebuilt until a decree is issued by me. 22 Be diligent in carrying out this command, so that no damage may increase and harm the interests of the kings. 23 As soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they quickly went to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force and power. 24 Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a halt, and it remained stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.
• Neh 4:10-14 : 10 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood behind all the people of Judah. 11 Those who were building the wall and those who carried loads were doing their work with one hand while holding a weapon with the other. 12 Every builder had his sword strapped to his side as he worked, and the one who sounded the trumpet stood beside me. 13 So I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, 'The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from one another along the wall.' 14 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather to us there. Our God will fight for us.
• Neh 6:14 : 14 Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these deeds of theirs, also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to intimidate me.
• Ps 56:3 : 3 My enemies pursue me all day long; many are attacking me proudly.
• Ps 68:35 : 35 Ascribe strength to God! His majesty is over Israel, and His power is in the skies.
• Ps 71:1 : 1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.